Chapter 14

Social Benefits of Poverty

I grew up in a middle-upper class family. I went to school, played sports, and was surrounded by people within the same social class. The only exposure I ever had to poverty was when my family would volunteer at homeless shelters and soup kitchens. I grew up learning that we need to help people that are less privileged than us.  Around Christmas time every year my mom and dad had my brother and I do research and find a nonprofit organization that we wanted to donate to. We then had to explain to our parents why we wanted them to donate to that particular organization and why we thought that those people needed the most help. Growing up learning the importance of helping people get out of poverty made me believe poverty is bad. Nobody has ever questioned why I think poverty is bad because most people think it is. In chapter 10, the social benefits of poverty was discussed. Social benefits of poverty? How? This concept seemed absolutely outrageous to me. 

The concept that poverty is a necessity in society is devastating to me, but it is true. Society needs people to work for lower wages in order for business to succeed. If people weren't willing to work for lower wages society wouldn't function. 

• "If society fostered full equality, who would do the dirty work?" (Newman)

• Poverty supports occupations that serve the poor like social workers, pawnshop owners, and second-hand stores. 

• Poverty ensures that people will join the military. 

My question is.....

If society needs poverty, why are we trying to help impoverished communities?

Why would we try and fix something that would destroy us? 

Why as a community do we segregate these people because we want to make more money?

The social and economic benefits of poverty in society are valid points as to why we need poverty. How can we fix our necessity of needing people to live in poverty? As a nation, we need to find a way to fill society's need for poor people. We need to come up with a way to fill the "dirty jobs". Maybe people who are flipping burgers should get paid more than actors. Maybe we can come up with an incentive for people to do the dirty work. Maybe we can increase the military salaries. Maybe as a society we can find a way to encourage second-hand products to everyone, not just the poor. 

There has to be a solution to poverty. There has to be a way for society to function without people living in poverty. 

I think that if more people realized the need for poverty, a social movement could arise. Social movements are so powerful and can change social norms and expectations. As a nation we have proved time and time again that social movement can change society. Hell, we proved it today! 15 years ago, the thought of gay marriage being recognized at the federal level was outrageous. In the last five years, the social norms and beliefs regarding gay marriage and equality for every type of love has changed drastically. The incredible, social transformation that has occurred started with a social movement. If we organized ourselves in order to destroy the need for poverty in the United States, it  could happen. 

Chapter 13

My Immigration Story 

My family has been in the United States since the early 1900s. In 1912, my great, great, grandpa Fiskevold immigrated to the United States from Norway. He arrived in New York, like most immigrants of that time, and immediately moved to Minnesota because the climate was similar to Norway's. My great, great, grandpa Stutebeck immigrated to the United States in 1920 from Germany. He also arrived in New York and moved to Minnesota. 

My family members arrived in the United States during a time of rapid immigration that consisted of mainly European decent. My family members were not treated as "outcasts" because they were white. At the time, 7/8 US citizens were white. The social treatment of immigrants in the US changes as the economic conditions change. In the early 19th century, when my family came to the US, immigrants were welcomed because they filled unwanted jobs, and improved the lives of current citizens by contributing to society. This would not be the case today; today's immigrants are commonly seen as a threat.  Many people in the US have resentment towards immigrants because of competition over jobs and resources, racism, and the strains on social institutions. 

Public education is a social institution that has changed drastically since the early 1900s. In the early 1900s, people went to school for only 6 or 7 years, oppose to today, where most people have 12 plus years of formal education. Today, public education has to cater to immigrants unlike when my family arrived. Many US citizens think that immigrants are taking educational opportunities away from current citizens because public education has to cater to the educational needs of immigrants. The hostility towards immigrants regarding education simply didn't exist when my family immigrated to the US. 

In today's economic circumstances, many people are unemployed and rely on government assistance in order to have housing, food, and clothing. The resources provided to citizens during economic hardships is also available to immigrants.  The competition over government resources has created a selfish hostility and resentment towards immigrants. If my family immigrated to the US today, they would feel this hatred along with the millions of other immigrants in the US. The social attitudes towards immigrants in 1920 was much different. Immigrants in the 1920s improved the lives of current residents which changed the attitude and treatment towards them. 

If my family members were immigrating to the US today, they would face many social issues that weren't relevant in the early 1900s. My family would be a threat to the community and face criticism, racism, and hostility. 

 

Chapter 12

Social Structure of Gender 

Gender is socially constructed through institutions, organizations, groups, statuses and roles, beliefs and norms. Women's rights have increased significantly in the last 100 years, but women are still being treated differently than men in today's culture. This is happening because of the social structures in society. 

The media is a social institution that has impacted how women are viewed in society. The media content is created and controlled by men. Men have created the ideal women that women think they should be and men think women should be. The media's influence on society has given gender roles to both men and women, but the roles given to women are unattainable. 

Women are portrayed as sex objects that men own in the media. Women are sexy, wear skimpy clothing, and exist to please men. This stereotype of women in the media creates social norms and beliefs in men and women that women are to have the ideal body, skinny as a rail with large breast. The media's portrayal of a woman's body is unrealistic; women in the media are not real women. But, the social institution of media gives society this belief and creates a social norm. 

Women are given also given a status of a perfect "housewife" in the media. The roles that go along with this status are cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, and pleasing the men. This status goes along with the 50's era where women didn't work. In today's society many women have full time jobs just like men. It is impossible for a woman to work full time, take care of the children, and maintain a perfect house. The media is giving men and women unrealistic expectations for women to meet. 

The media has given society expectations of how women should look and act. These expectations are not attainable or fair for women. The media is a social institution that has given society expected statuses, roles and norms for women. The order and predictability of women in the media is expected by all media consumers, but this portrayal should not be expected of women in real life. 

This is a video Dove made in their real beauty campaign. It shows how the ideal woman in the media is fake. This is the process media content goes through in order to create this ideal woman. 

Chapter 11

Social Construction of Race

People often stereotype individuals and groups by their biological appearance. The personal traits individuals hold categorize them into races. But, across the world cultures have different categories, sub-categories and perceptions of race. This means that race really isn't biological; race is a social construction that differs among cultures. Racial categories that an individual identifies with and the racial categories others identify the individual with can differ. This happens because of the changing social construction of race even within the same community. To me, the most interesting concept of the social construction of race is how people change the race they identify with throughout their life. 

A study on racial identity among adolescents showed that what race they classify themselves in changes depending on their surroundings. The study found that adolescents were more likely to identify with "multi-racial" at school than at home. This is interesting to me because the people around the subject influenced their racial identity. This is a prime example of how race is socially constructed and not biologically constructed. If race was biological, the answers would be consistent no matter the environment. Newman also points out how peoples' racial identity changes depending on how their race will help or hurt them. College applicants strategically choose which race to identify with in order influence the colleges' decision. This is also very interesting to me because my racial identity has never changed. I have always identified with being white because I have light skin, brown/green eyes, and dark blond hair (naturally). I am mostly European, German, Irish, and French Canadian. But, I am also Native American. Half of my moms sibling "look" Native American, dark hair, dark eyes and tan skin. But, I have never considered myself anything other than "white". The social construction of race has influenced my consistency with my own racial identity. Because I don't "look" Native American, nobody has ever classified me as "multi-racial" or "Native American". 

The socially constructed concept of race changes over time, surroundings, and across the world. Race is defined by external forces rather than biology. 

Chapter 10

Family of Four Expenses

Food: $7,250

Transportation:

Housing and utilities: $17,000

Medical: $3,600

Daycare: $14,000

Clothing: $5,000

School Supplies/miscellaneous children expenses: $1,500

Entertainment: $4,000

Total: $43,350

$21,237 over budget

The budget I came up with for a family of four is much higher than the poverty line in the U.S. This gap forces families to cut necessities. After entertainment, the food budget may be cut in order to make ends meet. Cutting a food budget is difficult, but it can be done. If the food budget was lower, the food that the family could afford wouldn't be as healthy. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very expensive. A good bag of grapes or a package of strawberries can be $3-$6, a bag of fresh spinach is about $4. With fresh fruits and vegetables so expensive, it would be much cheaper for the family to eat unhealthy processed food. A family of 4 can eat a fast food dinner for 1/3 of the price as a healthy home cooked meal. Cutting the food budget results in unhealthy eating and health risks. Cutting transportation costs is another option. If the transportation budget is cut it will make work, school, education, and entertainment scheduling difficult.  If the schedules don't work out, then the families' income could decrease, social lives will decrease, and the childrens' education could decrease. If the family cut the health care budget the families health would be at risk. Cutting the health care budget could result in missed work, serious illness, and countless other issues that would decrease the families' quality of life. In all reality, any part of this budget could decease, but the quality of life would also decrease significantly. 

The budget I composed doesn't include any savings. Without having any savings it makes it harder for the children to be able to afford college. It is very difficult to attend college  without any financial help from parents or other relatives. Without being able to afford an education, the opportunities that the children will have in the future decrease significantly. The entertainment budget would be the first cut the family would make in order to afford food and shelter. With out an entertainment budget the children won't be able to do sports and other social activities. This will decrease the childrens' social lives and make them feel isolated. The family's necessities are already double the poverty line; the well-being of this family is at risk. 

Living in poverty, or close to poverty, gives the family a low quality of life. The stress of trying to make ends meet is enough to destroy the parents' quality of life. This family is forced to cut necessities which decreases the well-being of the entire family. The children will have lower education, lower health care,  and lower opportunities in life. 

Chapter 9 revised

Social Structure of Education

The social structure of education is based off of social norms, beliefs and expectations created by society. The education system in the U.S.  is based off of the cultural belief that education leads to successful careers and financial stability. This belief is not necessarily true anymore; many people are waiting tables years after getting a degree. The organizations, groups, statuses, and roles within the social structure of education gave me roles and statuses as a student. 

The organizations within the education system provide structure for school districts, schools, teachers, and students. Standardized tests are required for schools in order to ensure teachers are adequately teaching students what they need to know. This gives schools and teachers requirements. The requirements standardized tests give schools keeps the education system functional. If there weren't standardized tests, schools would have no requirements to meet and the education system would not teach students the nessisary cirriculum. Standardized testing also serves as a way to measure what students need to improve on and what they are succeeding in. This gives parents, students, and teachers the information on what needs to be worked on. 

As a student I went to school because it is an institutional norm that children go to school. I was under the impression that school a necessity in having a comfortable life. I always planned on going to college because of the cultural beliefs and norms that surrounded me. My status as a student gave me roles that I had to take on in order to be successful. I had to respect my teachers and other adults as a student. Respecting people with a higher status than me was a role I took on as a student due to the social expectations and roles. As a student I have taken on statuses within groups. The groups I have been in include my social circle, sports, and other extra curricular activities. The social structure of education gives people distinct statuses that have distinct roles that must be played. The current education system is has these roles and statuses due to external impacts that give society ideas, beliefs, and expectations in regards to education. 

The status I have as a student has been with me for 14 years; I don't even remember not having the status as a student. Being a student has impacted the way I think about everything. I have learned what my status entails and the roles I must take on. For example, I have to be timely with my school assignments in order to remain a student. If I am not timely with my assignments I will not be able to pass my classes. If I don't pass my classes I can not graduate and have the finical success I thrive for. The end result that I am working towards is a cultural belief that I have learned.

Chapter 8

Labeling Theory

In today's society people are labeled as deviant for many reasons. We label people deviant because of actions, behaviors, ideas, and personal attributes that society sees as wrong. Once society has labeled a person deviant that label changes how society interacts with the person. That person is seen differently by others and is singled-out and rejected. Once the label of deviant sticks, it is hard for the person to cope with the consequences. 

Society labeled Tiger Woods as deviant when it came out that he had been cheating on his wife with many women. Today's society views marriage as a monogamous relationship between two people. Tiger Woods' behavior of cheating on his loyal wife violated this social norm and expectation resulting in a label of deviant. He lost multi-million dollar endorsement deals as a consequence of being labeled deviant.  Tiger Woods was an athlete that many people viewed as a role model, after the cheating scandal society's perception of him changed.

Deviant behavior is defined by society; as society changes the label of deviance changes. Today, Tiger Woods has been labeled deviant. But what if society viewed cheating as a norm? Tiger Woods' behaviors would not have been deviant, and he would still have admirers and endorsement deals. Since society views cheating as a deviant behavior, Tiger Woods' will have to live with the consequences of committing the social crime. 

Chapter 7

Family

Divorce and Single Parenting:

Families come in all shapes and sizes in U.S. society. Changes in social acceptance of divorce and single parenting have had a profound influence on my life. My parents divorced when I was in 4th grade. Unlike most kids, I was relieved that my mom finally had the courage to divorce my dad. Newman points out research that has proven negative impacts divorce has on children's development at every stage of life. For me, my parents' divorce was beneficial to my development. The frequent fighting that went on between my parents when they were married was more severe to my well being than the divorce was. Newman points out my situation saying, "Research suggests that behavioral problems are caused not by the divorce itself but by the exposure to conflict between the parents." The conflict I was exposed to during their marriage was much worse than having a separated family. 

The acceptance of divorce, my mom's social status, economic circumstances, and laws that have made divorce easier were external forces that influenced my mom's decision. In society today, divorce rates are skyrocketing. The growing social acceptance of divorce influenced my mom's decision because she wasn't afraid of the social consequences associated with divorce and single parenthood. Many women are scared to get divorced because after a divorce it is common for women and children to have decreased economic status. For my mom, this wasn't the case. My mom was educated and had a high paying job. My mom was capable of supporting herself and children without depending on a man. This trend is increasing through-out society today. The roles that mothers play in society have changed drastically; the number of working mothers in the U.S. have increased. This has given more women the option of divorce without having to work minimum wage jobs. The external forces in society had a profound influence on my parents' divorce. For my situation, these societal changes had a positive influence of my family.

Chapter 6

Managing Impressions 

In today's society impressions are everything. We construct an image of ourselves in order to socially fit into given situations. This image may change depending on the environment. Impressions of others are formed by appearance, attitude, age, status, race, gender, and verbal and nonverbal communication. 

I commonly use my physical appearance in managing the impressions others form of me. I notice this strategy of impression management whenever I want something. It is very superficial, but physical appearance has a large impact on the way people perceive me.

When going to a job interview, I strategize my clothing, makeup, hairstyle, and shoes in order to increase the chances that I get the job. I want people's first impression of me to be that I am professional, attractive, and put together. I love wearing sweats and having my hair in a bun on the top of my head, but I would never go to a job interview like that. 

I worked in a restaurant for three years. When going to work, I would adjust my hair, makeup, and clothing in order to look more attractive. When I looked "pretty" I would earn more tips. I adjusted my appearance in order for customers to have a good impression of me. David Newman uses the back stage and front stage of theatre to describe how people engage in impression management. While working in a restaurant I couldn't have made it through doubles with out having my back stage (kitchen). When on stage (bar or dining room), I would put on a smile, small talk customers, and cater to their every needs. But once I got into the kitchen, I would vent about how obnoxious and rude customers are with the other actors (employees). I managed the impressions customers had of me by using physical appearance, verbal communication, demeanor, and a big white smile. The strategies I engaged in while managing my impression at a restaurant helped me make more money, keep customers happy, and helped the business. 

Chapter 5 Nature vs. Nurture

I have taken multiple psychology classes, and am currently in sociology. Both subjects focus on nature vs. nurture quite a bit. This topic is very interesting to me because there is no clear cut answer. Some people believe that DNA is responsible for who people are, some people believe that how a person is raised makes them who they are, and of course, many people believe it is a mix between the two. Personally I believe it is a mix between DNA and the environment a person is raised in.

I am a huge football fan! When the topic of nurture vs. nature comes up, I always think about the Mannings. Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 14 years. Two of his sons, Peyton and Eli Manning, are NFL quarterbacks.

Were Peyton and Eli Manning born to be quarterbacks in the NFL?

Would they be quarterbacks in the NFL if their dad was a construction worker who hated football?

I believe that the Manning family is the perfect example of how nature and nurture work together in creating a person's social construction.

The DNA that Archie passed down to his children gave them the "quarterback build" and athletic genes. Archie Manning is 6 ft 3 in and 212 lb. He passed this "quarterback build" down to his sons. Eli Manning is 6 ft 4 in and 218 lb, and Peyton Manning is 6 ft 5 in and 230 lb. Studies have shown that genes play a large role in athletic abilities. The Manning boys inherited athletic genes and the physical build of an NFL quarterback from their father. The DNA that Eli and Peyton Manning received from their father gave them the "nature" to be superstar quarterbacks.

 http://www.academia.edu/667847/Genes_Environment_and_Sport_Performance_why_the_nature-nurture_dualism_is_no_longer_relevant


Archie Manning, one of the best NFL quarterbacks, was an agent of socialization for his sons. Archie influenced his sons behaviors, attitudes, self-concepts, and values. Eli and Peyton Manning grew up in a household centered around the game of football. The influence from the people around them helped form Eli and Peyton's desire to play football. The boys had an NFL MVP quarterback to teach them how to throw a football. Can you imagine playing catch on a Saturday afternoon with Archie Manning? The Manning brothers had all the opportunities in the world to enhance their quarterback skills. Archie raised his children in an environment submerged in football. The nurture Eli and Peyton Manning received growing up gave them goals of becoming NFL quarterbacks, along with the resources needed.

The potent mix of nurture and nature allowed Eli and Peyton Manning to carry on the legacy of their father Archie Manning!

Chapter 4 My Turn

I decided to talk to myself in public to experience the reactions of onlookers. I am a pretty outgoing person, so going into this experiment I wasn't nervous at all. I was feeling pretty excited to see how people would react to me. My brother and I went grocery shopping at Target. He walked about 20 feet behind me so people would know I was talking to myself. I was looking at bananas and saying stuff like, "this one's too yellow" and "this one is too green." The first reaction I got was a Target employee who asked me if I needed help with anything. This made me feel a little awkward. He was trying to normalize my behavior by asking me if I needed help. I then moved on to looking at lettuce and salad dressing. I contemplated out loud what kind of salad I wanted for dinner and what dressing would taste the best on different kinds of lettuce. One little girl looked at her mom and said, "Mommy who is she talking to?" The mom didn't respond to her daughter, but gave me a weird look. I could tell she was uncomfortable with her daughter's question. Throughout this experiment I received multiple odd looks. Most people tried to ignore me, but kept looking back at me. I felt uncomfortable and ashamed that people reacted to me in this way. Norms play a large role in society today. When someone does such a harmless thing, like talking to themselves, people think it is crazy. I enjoyed doing this experiment because I now have a larger understanding of how much cultural norms impact daily life.

Chapter 3 Personal Billboards revised

Determined to get there serves as a personal billboard for my life. Becoming a mom at a young age has given me determination to succeed beyond people's expectations. I want to prove to everyone that I can still accomplish my goals in life. Since having Mason, I have graduated high school and am attending college. Mason has changed my life in so many ways. I want my son to be proud of me. I want my son to have all the opportunities in the world. I want my son to have a mom who graduated college. I want my son to live comfortably and happily. My hopes and dreams for Mason have given me the determination to get there!

I think that personal billboards are valuable in society. They have the power to change views, beliefs, and stances on issues. In my situation, I believe that my personal billboard and reasoning behind it has the power to change societies perception of unplanned pregnancies. Yes, I am a teen mom. No, I didn't drop out of school and no, I don't live on welfare. Societies perception of the roles in which a teen mom's status holds are not always true.

I chose to add this image as a personal billboard of mine because summer is my favorite time of year. During the summer I feel happy and free even if I am working and in school. I love spending time outside playing during the day and relaxing by a fire at night. 

I love this picture because it takes an even more optimistic view on life. I am an optimistic person and try to see the best in every situation. I have found that being positive is the only way to live a happy and fulfilled life :)

I love Caribou Coffee's saying, "life is short stay awake for it!" I have an addiction to coffee, especially Caribou Coffee! This slogan fits my life perfectly. I love coffee, and am a busy single mother and full time student. If it wasn't for coffee, I wouldn't have made it :)

Chapter 1 & 2 2005

I turned 12-years-old in 2005. I had just started 5th grade at Snail Lake Elementary School. I remember 2005 as a year filled with excitement. A sense of normalcy returned to my life as my parents finalized their divorce allowing for a consistant schedule for my brother and me. I was finishing my last year of elementary school with anticipation of my middle school years to come. But what happened in 2005 that was out of my control that made an impact on my life? The list of external factors that subconsciously influenced my life in 2005 is infinite. When reading the major events of 2005, memories quickly emerged.

Iraq:
In 2005 the invasion of Iraq escalated as more troops were being deployed and the death toll increased. I remember being in my 5th grade classroom as a kid in my class explained to me how this invasion will bring about another world war. Hearing this was a scary thought for a 12-year-old who had never experienced war. The image I had of what this war would become was a war zone in my backyard. Through-out the last five years I have gotten a better understanding of what war is, and how it affects people. I had no control over the invasion of Iraq or the impact it would have on me, or the people around me. I know people that have gone to Iraq and returned safely, but I also know people who haven't returned. Experiencing a soldier coming home and hugging his mother for the first time in over a year is a memory nobody could forget. The invasion of Iraq has definitely had a lasting impact on my life and those around me.

Hurricane Katrina:
In August of 2005, hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I remember watching the news coverage in shock. People were floating on whatever they could find, homes were destroyed, people were stranded on roofs, and helicopters surrounded the city bringing relief. Hurricane Katrina was talked about everywhere from school to my family dinner table. All I could think about was wanting to help the people whose lives were ruined. I had no connections to anybody whose life was impacted by Katrina, and yet I wanted to help. This was the first time I felt such empathy towards complete strangers. The emotional need and desire to help others has been consistant in my life since I was 12. Five years later I am working on a nonprofit management minor. I hope one day I will have the resources to help people through life altering experiences like the victims of hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina wasn't the reason I want to work in the nonprofit sector, but that first taste of empathy impacted my goals for the future.

Myspace:
Social networking sites are a large source of communication today. My social networking career started in 2005 with the myspace boom. Myspace was started in 2003, but 2005 is when my peer group transitioned into cyber-communication. The increased popularity of Myspace through-out my peers and groups of friends influenced me to create a Myspace account and communicate differently. If nobody else had a Myspace account I wouldn't have made one myself. Social networking sites have evolved since the Myspace days. Now there is Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, and many more. I now have multiple social networking sites that I use to communicate. Communication through-out society has changed a lot because of social networking sites. The amount of face-to-face conversations has decreased significantly due to the popularity of social networking sites. The social influence and societal influence of social networking sites began, for me, with Myspace in 2005.