Why do we bother living?

I read this article on Sal's page about teen suicide and I completely agree with it. The reason for all these suicides is because people feel that they have nothing and no one to live for. And maybe some people don't have family or anyone to really live for, but that is still no reason to take your own life. If you don't have family you make friends and if you can't make true friends you always have God. I'm really not trying to sound preachy but I was raised Greek Orthedox and we believe suicide is a sin and you'll straight to hell. So if you think it all the way through...its better to live and be a little depressed than spend eternety in a flaming infro. If parents or teachers or authority figures in general trully cared about kids and taught them the true meaning of life then maybe there wouldn't be so many suicides. All people really need is a reason for anything so instead of giving kids a reason to die why not give them a better one to live?

What I would have said if Sal had called on me

In class we were talking about whether African American were geneticlly made to be better at sports. And some people thought yes. But what I wanted them to realize is that they're wrong. I mean that in the nicest way of course. But not all Afrcan Americans are tall, many are average size as well. African Americans are not the only tall race. I have many white friends standing at a towering 6'4" or more. So why aren't whites praised for their supirior sports skills? Were they geneticlly made for it? Just because the African American that play professional sports and praised for those sports are so good doesn't mean that they didn't work to get there. Or that a white athlete is just as good as they are. Do you really think Fat Joe can do a slam dunk? He isn't white right? Not only that but a black professional footballer isn't the same as a black professional basketball player. How are they supposed to know which sport they were made for? Are they not given the choice?

My main point ot all this rambeling is that race is not a biology and certain races aren't built geneticlly better than others. Society and media play a huge part in all our confusion. If we would stop glorifying our differences and start showing our similarities there wouldn't be so much confusion.

This just one of the many things I wanted to add during class, when Sal didn't call on me. ;P

Movin' On Up

So lately we've been learning about social class and how that affects who we are and how we see the world. Well I live in a completely different social class than my parents did growing up. Of course I didnt always live where i do now. My parents worked really hard to get where they are today and they pretty much beat all the blockades that other poeple face today.

In the monopoly game during class the rich got richer and the poor got poorer and thats pretty much how it is in real life. But there are those select few that make. I used to think that anyone could my like my parents if they really tried and maybe they can. BUt after watching the 30 Days on min wage maybe its harder than i thought. But there's still hope and im just really glad that i can see that and hopefully other people do too.

Social Class

I try really hard not to judge people because of social class or at all for that matter. But sometimes i can't help myself. I didnt always live in "Long Grove". My parents worked really hard to get us here and my sisters and i try not to take advantage of that. What really bugged me about this movie and social climbing is that some people dont bother to climb. I understand that some poeple are happy where they are in life and dont need much but to live in filth? Living in disgust doesnt make sence to me. What little we had in my family was well kept and clean.

The woman with her kids in the trailer really bothered me. She sees that her son wants to be better and live out of poverty but she doesnt encourage him. She doesnt try to support him in anyway. What kind of mother/person does that? Dont parents want their kids to live well, happy and healthy? I feel that just because she couldnt climb it doesnt mean that she shouldnt encourage her kids to do so.

If parents were more supporting then kids would try to leave the projects, do better in school, stay out of jail. The governement can as many bills and welfares as it wants but help will only come from the home. Not only will the economy do better but crime will decrease and people would be much happier. If one wants to stay in there class thats fine but those who dont try because no one cares or they feel its not worth the work should think again.

Jail, Good or Bad?

We've been told all our lives that jail is bad and we dont want to go there, yet some poeple disagree. When we were watching 30Days you could tell that some of the men would rather be in jail. Some may not perferit but they dont mind it. I found this to be very sad. If you look at the big picture yes your in jail but...you're gettin 3 square meals a day (the same meals as a Stevenson student), you have a place to sleep, you dont have to pay rent or the bookies looking for you. I mean for some jail is great.

By watching this video it really showed me how the system works and im surprised. I really thought that George and that other guy were get clean but the didnt. Its very depressing but it is true life. And i still cant decide whether the jails should a rehabilatation center or just for punishing purposes. Its a tricky topic.

Positive Deviance

So Sal had this article about positive deviance and im a little sketchy about it. Would Diaz of still bought the kid dinner if he had a gun instead? Would he have still been so nice if the mugger was an older man and not a teen? I don't question that we should do positve things for one another, i just question how much we can do. I would love to be Diaz is this story, and have made a difference in this boys life. But the thing is I can't do something that great. I see people go above and beyond and really help. I'm very happy for them and all that they do, i just wish i could do the same. I know every little bit counts but is it really enough. Is holding the door for some kids at Stevenson really gonna do anything for them? Most kids here ignore the existance of everyone else in the hall. Here's an experiment of my own: when you're walking in the hall by yourself instead of day dreaming or only looking infront of you, look around and at people's faces. Almost no one will meet your gaze or smile at you. So can little acts of deviance help at Stevenson? I understand that big acts of deviance anywhere can really help people but little acts im not so sure about. I still do them but i doubt ill be remembered 10 years from now for helping you pick up your dropped books. Then again i could be wrong but who knows. Maybe if more people cared about the little things we would have to worry about making a differece. I don't know.

Men and Women

I agree media has played a huge role in society and the way we look at the roles of men and women. But did not people create the media? In years dating back how far isn't this how it was? Men were hunters and women were gathers. Women were mothers and it wasn't till very reasently that women got their rights. The real world is starting to accept women for who they are and realize that they don't belong in the kitchen.
But there is still a lot of sexest people out there. And on Sal's blog there's video about Disney movies. Most of those movies were made 10 years ago, right? A lot has changed over the past 10 years. Sexism had toned down since then. So can you really blame old Disney movies for all this confusion and school shootings?
I think parents should start to take back some the responsibilities they have...slacked on. "TV can't parent your children, so dont just stick them in front of it so you dont have to worry." is the message that some parents need. Kids should be learning from their parents and elders instead of the TV. The TV is merely a source of entertainment. The kids, parents and viewers need to realize this.
I think that with time we wont have these mascilin and feminim problems because people will finally realize that media mirrors society so if they want the media to change so bad then they should change the society.