BLACK FRIDAY

By: Diomassi Sissoko

Black Friday is the day people have being waiting for many months. It is the day in which people in United States spend millions and millions of dollars. Many people start their holiday shopping in Black Friday especially gifts for Christmas

According to Orange County Register, in 2010, 212 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 195 million in 2009. Total spending last Black Friday reached an estimated $45 billion. The number of people who began their Black Friday shopping at midnight tripled in 2010 from 3.3 percent to 9.5 percent . In last Black Friday By 4 am., nearly one-fourth (24%) of Black Friday shoppers were already at the stores. Thanksgiving Day shopping – both online and in stores  has doubled over the past five years, from 10.3 million in 2005 to 22.3 million in 2010

Many people spend hours and hour sat the doors of stores so they can buy what they need in cheaper prices

 

Like you can see in this video, people are going crazy so they can have what they need.

This year, stores like Target, Best Buy, Kohl, and Walmart are opening their doors at 12:00 am in Black Friday.

To conclude, this year many people may not have the time to enjoy their Thanksgiving dine if they want to have best deals in Black Friday because many stores will open at 12:00 am in Black Friday.

Sources:
http://ocdeals.ocregister.com/2010/11/28/survey-black-friday-results-show-shoppers-spent-more/76754/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zBWjlkKDpA&NR=1

The Problems With Mixed Cultural Relationships

By Teairah Tate

Some may say “society has indeed accepted mixed cultural relationships,” but really have they come to grips that maybe a African American can marry a Jew or a Chinese can marry a Indonesian. My answer is no. Media has deceived people into thinking that mixed cultural relationships can get into a intimate relationship and live happily ever after, when if you actually read between the lines all its saying, is that this is America and we can co-exist but not intertwine. Take two similar cultures or what a person could consider similar, African Americans and Africans. First some background, African Americans is anyone of an African decent or origin meaning derived form African. Africans are people that weren’t born in America, Yet many has a citizenship here. In a different culture one would ask “well whats the difference?” And they will get slim answers similarities and a large number of differences, one being the way we go about dating and marriage.

The question is when families of different cultures leave there native land, why cant they leave there cultural beliefs behind to adapt to the American society”fully”? We have this thing called becoming Americanized and when you become Americanized you are deemed acceptable to are culture. Yet in the case of being with an African man of the igbo tribe, is highly frowned upon if they were to even be brought up in the same sentence with an American woman. My thoughts is that its extremely unfair to come to a new country and not accept the norms of being in a honest relationship of whoever you want to be with. But the problem really lies into what African American cultures display to the world. Especially the women. A lot of what is put into the media is stereotypes and biases about young black woman and it should be a crime to exploit us in that way, because of the bad reputation we get from the cultures around the world. In closing, I was in a relationship where as though my culture was unacceptable in theirs, and I winded up with a broken heart, hurt feeling and bad memories, And finally saying, that my perception of Africans will never be the same.

Yoruba Cultural Group of Nigeria

By: Iqmat Adediran

Have been reading different types of blogs on culture and I can’t help but give kudos to what people have written on it. It has made me think deeply on what to write even though I still come up short compared to others. Culture is a way of life; it describes people and gives us a hint on who they’re.

"This video describes an American woman studying journalism in University of Wisconsin who came to Nigeria to study Yoruba Language."

For this culture blog, I have decided to enlighten people about my culture. I am a native of Nigeria and I belong to the Yoruba cultural group. Africans in the diaspora are beginning to teach their children their culture and traditions which has helped to promote the spread and growth of culture in the universe.

The Yoruba people live in Southwest Nigeria. The Yoruba cultural group has so many tribes like the Edos, Oyos, Egbas, etc. I belong to the Oyo tribe. The Yorubas have developed a variety of different artistic forms including pottery, weaving, bead work, metalwork, and mask making. Most artwork is made to honor the gods and ancestors and since there are more than 401 known gods to the Yoruba there is much sculpture and artwork made. Because of the vastness in the number of gods, the Yoruba have been compared to the ancient Greeks in the amount of gods and in the similarities between the structures of the gods. The Yoruba have started to become quite popular among Africans all over the world that claim the Yoruba as their family roots and follow the religion and culture of the Yoruba.

Yoruba people speak Yoruba pronounced YO-RU-BA.

Dressing

Yoruba people wear a form of cloth called 'Aso-oke'

"a man at his traditional wedding in aso oke"

"husband and wife in aso oke"

Cuisine

Yoruba people eat a variety of foods, but the most common are Eba, (made from cassava grits), Amala (made of yam powder), Iyan (pounded yam), Egusi (melon seeds), Egusi Soup, Efo (Spinach), Fufu, Ogi (Corn or millet pap).

Economy

Historically, the Yoruba were primarily farmers, growing cocoa and yams as cash crops. These are planted in a three-year rotational system, alternating with cassava and a year of diverse crops including maize, peanuts, cotton, and beans. At the end of this three-year cycle the land is left fallow, sometimes for seven years. It is estimated that at one time nearly 70 percent of people participated in agriculture and ten percent each working as crafts people and traders within the towns. Yoruba land is characterized by numerous densely populated urban centers with surrounding fields for farming. The centralization of wealth within cities allowed for the development of a complex market economy which encouraged extensive patronage of the arts.

And this is for everyone's enjoyment. Straight from Nigeria. ENJOY :)!

Quotes - "The world is a classroom and everyone in it is your teacher, from the smallest baby to the oldest man, we all hold a lesson to teach. So pay attention!" ~Anonymous~

No One on the Corner has Swagger like Us!

   In today's society marketing is the way to go In marketing you have to always make sure you appeal to your audience but sometimes I feel like how the companies market their consumers is by the way of using sterotypes to help them with their appeal. For example I chose these two State Farm commercials. The first one is of these group of blacks guys that when they greet each other they give each other daps. Im not saying that giving a dap is a sterotype or that makes me feel some type of way because everyone does that but what does bother me is how the guy who explains the State Farm commercials starts talk and his movements. He starts waving his hands like he is about to go rap and spit on a mic or something. I hope that he doesn't think that all black people talk like that just because he seen the other guys do a dap. Compared to the other commercial where a group of friends are out having lunch the way the State Farm representative is talking is very calm which he is in the other commercial but his hand movements isn't as "hip hoppy" as the other one. So basically what I see in these two commercials is when you want to target black people add a little "swagger" in your movements and you got yourself a minority's attention.

The True Meaning of The Symbol Swastika

By: Jian-Hian Chen

What is a symbol? A symbol is things or behaviors to which people give meaning. Symbol can also be something such as a particular mark that represents some piece of information. One symbol that everyone seen before that thinks they know the meaning to it is the Swastika.

What do you think when you see this?

Yes, this is the symbol that Adolf Hitler used known as the Nazism. The Nazi believed that they were the supremacy of an Aryan master race and claimed that Germans represented the purest Aryan nation. The Jews people were affect the most because the Nazi claimed that they were the greatest threat to the Aryan race and the German nation. The symbol has been forbidden in several countries and especially in Germany. In some areas public display of the Swastika may be fined or even jailed.

This video shows the true meaning of the symbol Swastika. This symbol has appeared around the country in ancient artifact from Japan, China, and India for 5,000 years. The Swastika symbol represents good luck, love, light, and life. What a peaceful symbol but, because of one person it is only remember as a symbol of hatred, death, and evil.

At the end of the blog I hope everyone understand a little more about the meaning and what the Swastika symbol represents. The Swastika symbol represents Good, Love, Light, and, Life. This symbol is mostly in the Asian culture it appears in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Mithraism.

Poverty in the United States and Guatemala

Uliser Galdamez Corkery

Poverty is defined as being poor, lack of money and food. In the united state there are very few people or family that lives in extreme poverty, but live absolute poverty. The difference in absolute poverty are people that make a dollar a day, anything below that is consider extreme poverty. Here in the united stated families that have an income of $21,203 is consider in the line of poverty, but compared to other people in the world this is consider a family well off. In America, the poverty level is determined by the yearly income that a family of four haves to maintain a suitable standard of living.


I was born in a country that poverty is well common all around. Guatemala is a country that people struggle day by day to make ends meet. In other words people work their butts off to make enough to eat. Some off this people and family eat one meal a day or shared their meal with their young ones, which means that they starved. This people are knowed as extreme poverty; absolute poverty in my country is a little different, many people that fine them self in this situation move to a country that haves more opportunities or where they can earn more money to live a suitable life.

                          

Poverty and starvation is all over the world and is becoming more common in places that does not have much support by the government. In Guatemala, education and employment is very poor and this is why children and adults are suffering from it. If Guatemala had the same laws that the United States have, half of the population in poverty can be reduced. Our current president Obama here in the USA has just open a law that all children should finished 12 grade or parents will get in trouble by the school district. I other country would have the laws this could help out poverty.

"Thin is not in": The cultral Difference in Body Image

"Thin is not in" The Cultural Difference in Body Image

By : Marnita Thomas

Society is always pushing diet pills and ads for losing weight. Shoving the image of skinny models and celebrities down your throat telling you to believe you are supposed to look this way to be hot! What’s sad is that people start to believe it.

Magazine headlines reading "lose weight now" "how to look hot in a bikini in 10 days". No wonder why people are obsessed with body image. The media is setting the agenda! That "Thin is in!"

The media's image of body image greatly influences mainstream (Caucasian) society. Peoples standards of beauty varies across culture. What may be beautiful to one person may not be to the next. White women choose a significant thinner ideal of body size than black women. The end result black woman experience less eating disorders than white women. For instance in my culture being thin was never in! Black women prefer a more voluptuous shape, an hour glass figure. In Africa women on the heavier side would correlate with being wealthy. In America a white women on the thinner side would correlate with being in shape. In my culture a women with hips, butt, and large breast is considered “a brick house” aka beautiful.

There is truly a cultural difference of body image in African Americans . Black men drool over women with curves. Such as Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose. Black men like there women with thickness to them and most importantly booty! Whereas white men favor large breasts

For years black men have made music with titles such as “Feeling on your booty (R.kelly), Back that a#$ up ( Juvenile) and “I like big butts! (Sir. Mix A lot). It’s hard not to be influenced by what’s going around you. Black women also feel the need to conform to this ideal beauty. White women may starve themselves thin. Black women may overeat or go as far as surgery illegal to gain a bigger booty.
http://youtu.be/xkLE-GORLVk

Mainstream society is just starting to catch up to the more ethnic- idea of beauty. That real women have curves and... its okay. Its about time people are starting to love their “junk in the trunk.”
http://youtu.be/6mOQh3evqsI
I’am naturally thin and I have people walk up to me all the time to say I would kill to have "your" metabolism. I tell them well… I would kill to "your”matoblism. If I woke up today or tomorrow with a hour glass figure i would feel like i just hit the lottery. Black culture is more accepting of a larger body type. we tend to ignore the media's message of thin is in.  I feel that in my culture you have to find that happy median in between (not to skinny and not to fat)some people may call it “PHAT” (pretty hot and tempting).

Society has to learn how to stop being so easily influenced with body image. I know it’s hard because the world is so superficial. Sometimes people have to stop it with the superficial bull crap! There’s more to women than the way we look. Its what’s on the inside that counts. (and I know that’s just something that ugly people say, but seriously) we have other things going for ourselves. other than our bodies and being a sex toy for men to play with. These are the reasons why so many young girls are suffering from low self-esteem. You have to love yourself first because if you don’t then who will? So the next time my thick, bootylicious friends stick their big butts out to take a picture. they better move over cause the skinny girl is coming through, and in my mind I’m pretty, hot and tempting too!

　

　

　

　

　

Globalization

Archiebald Robinson

I will be speaking on the topic Globalization. When we say globalization, what does hit means and how does it influence our society and life. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Globalization? In this few research of mine, I will be telling you what I feel or think globalization is all about.

Globalization is a worldwide or universal control of policies, cultures, social movement, and financial market trade with the exchange of ideas. Globalization is also the bringing together of cultures, companies outsourcing, and technology. Because without technology cultures can’t be seen from distance and company cannot go into trade. Technology can also be a disadvantage to undeveloped countries because the people can’t afford it.

Universal Control of Policies- is how the world is being control by a certain policies. This also means that certain people in high power makes the rules and how people should go by it. These individual could be Presidents, Billionaires, Millionaires or people in high power. It also refer to those high industrialize countries company (China, Japan, etc.). Universal Control of policies can also bring awareness to people such as in the health area. Awareness of sicknesses, diseases and how it can be treated. Also awareness on Drugs control, computer controls from viruses, and like I said any epidemic situation.

Cultures-is knowing the custom or tradition behavior within a certain group. The way people talk, act and behave. The way people interact with one another. For example I am a Liberian and I lived in Nigeria for a few years and when ever you walk by a house or see a elderly person, you have to greet them and while greeting them, you have to bow a little or go on your knees, you cant shake their hands because it is an insult and you don’t call an older person by their name. You either say sir, ma, uncle or aunty even though they not your relative. In Africa, we were brought up with beating by elder, parents or teacher in order to behave ourselves but in America, there is less beating and more grinding. This form may be also known as the non-material Culture. Culture when it comes to globalization is very important because you get to know people norms, music, language and more. We know that the three most spoken languages in the world are: English, French and Spanish. The way of dressing by others and what material and products a certain country like or not is part of cultures in Globalization.

           Market trade and exchange of ideas is the commercial or industrialization of buying and selling trades of goods and services. When we talk about we look at the stock market and how it influences not only America but the whole world. Because as stocks goes up, there are more market and investment of people but when stocks goes down, there is less and people stop investing and value of the money devalue. For now I understand the Japanese yang is the highest money follow by the euro and US dollars. Globalization of these market exchanges is that it affects businesses, traders, makes consumer to know what commodity sells or need to be bought the most.

Technology in Globalization- When we talk about this, what do we mean technology in globalization? Technology is the technical idea and compliance of component reaches the world. Without technology life can still move on but with lot of struggles and difficulties. The electronics devices and communication devices won’t be possible. Because globalization influences our world and technology is the key factor of reaching people.  We see that cell phones and some portable devices are being made to get and stay connected to your family any part of the world. Technology helps in building business, friendship and relationship. With technology we can have business run faster and well and even get business partner all around the world. You can buy and sell online and even advertise you products to Billion around the world with the internet. We also have internet dating which people use to get to know someone far and near in order to establish that relationship.

Globalization is also the increase of interdependency towards connectivity and integration on a global level with respect of Trade, culture, political and economic levels. The advantages of globalization are as follows: Goods and services of people are transported with speed and accuracy. This also includes free trade between countries both locally and internationally. People are connected through media of communication all round the world. The  awareness and protection of people be it citizen within a country or environment. This awareness may also include as stated earlier health awareness of diseases and sicknesses control. All in all Globalization is a broad and very large issue we need to understand because it involves verities of issue. Be it health, business, political, technical, daily life issues. Lastly I may define it as the awareness of daily life issue which can help us move forward or control not to move forward. Lastly I will leave you with a video of President Barack Obama on Globalization.

          

Gender

By: Aftab Ali

      As biology differentiate sexual difference between male and female, society also plays a very strong role in distinguishing gender role. For example, children realize gender expectations before they come to know biological difference between male and female. From dress to play in the early childhood, children know about his/her status and role in the society. As they grow up they come to know other complicated difference between male and female. They observe and learn from their parents, teachers and from outside world. The culture which I belong to from Pakistan, as children grow up, girls stay inside home and play indoor games and helping their mothers in kitchen and other house work. Boys stay most of the time outside, and play outdoor games and help with their fathers in fields. If boys play with girls even to their relatives inside the house or girls want to play with boys outside, both are violating social norms.

      When I was young, I was going to school with my older sister. She was young too. But when she reached to the 5^Th grade she went to girls’ school from boys’ school. She was young but that is the culture that is the culture the girl should be in girl’s school.  The society makes the rules which are masculine and which are feminine.  For example, when I was young I and my two brothers were going to the fields with my father every day but I never saw my sister accompanied us. The society made this rules that females have nothing to do with fields or outside hard work, although, I know many cultures where women work in the fields like men or with the men every day for the whole life.

      My analysis is that society is very important in gender role. Every society has different norms which have to follow. Culture also has a strong role in people’s lives even more than religion. For example women are allowed to pray in Mosques in Islam. But I never saw a woman in Mosque in my society. In my culture women are not allowed to pray in Mosques. And if suppose the female are allowed to pray in Mosques with men. I am sure they will not go to Mosques. Praying in the Mosques is masculine. So to conclude my points that there are many cultures around the world which have their own cultural rules. Every culture looks weird to other people but still they are important for their own people.

Outsourcing of American Jobs: Good or Bad?

By: Emmanuel Kollie

People in America get so angry about losing their jobs. Some blame outsourcing because they think it is not fair to the citizen or the native born that don't have a job in their own country. people say outsourcing is not a good thing and this video make you believe it too. There are people in this country that believe that they need help, but they are not getting the help that they need, because company take their jobs and give it to the outsiders.

what is outsourcing? outsourcing is the taking of American jobs to another country. outsourcing also lets companies focus on other  jobs and businesses while having the details taken care of by outsider experts. outsourcing is a smart way that companies make more money, because it costs less to get the same work done. As we can see from this video, many of  our service jobs have been move to India. Many manufacturing jobs have  moved to China (Walmart).

is outsourcing a bad thing? outsourcing can be a bad thing because it affects working class jobs the most. people lose their houses, their families, and sometimes their communities die. outsourcing creates the racism practice, for example if you had a job that was paying you 10 dollars an hour, and then some one in India is willing to work for 9 dollars an hour, that make you mad and angry at Indians.Outsourcing can also cause products sold in America to be poor quality, example are toys and toothpaste from China.

Is outsourcing a good thing?  The  people who benefit are the owners of the company (stock holders) who get the work done cheaper, yet by still charging the same price, make more profits. We consumers benefit from cheaper goods and services.  Outsourcing also forces people to get a better education and also lets companies to focus on higher paying jobs. 

People say that outsourcing is bad for the country because the citizens lose their jobs, houses, communities and sometimes their families.  I think outsourcing is a part of the American dream because it is all about making money.  Outsourcing is a bad thing for people who live in America and a good thing for people who live outside America because I can feel the effects in my neighborhood.

Osama Bin Lden!..........Devil or Saint ? Is he really a symbol of Muslim ?

By Khanh Nguyen.

A symbol of a culture can be a thing, an action or activity as well as a person.  In the case of Osama Bin Laden, he is definitely a symbol of a culture but depend on each individual or group of people, he could be a saint or a devil.

For most of American and people around the world who had their relatives died in terrorist attacks that related to AL-Qaeda.  He is always a devil who took many innocent people away from their families.  Osama Bin Laden in this case is a symbol of an angry and cruelty religious in specific and Muslim culture in general which always consider infidel people as its enemies. For those who are Muslim and do not support his ideas, Osama Bin Laden is not a symbol of their religious, their culture. In fact, he is a counter culture symbol of Muslim.

In another hand, for those who support him in specific and terrorism in general, Osama Bin Laden has become one of their saints.  He is a hero among them.  He was the one who brought up the idea of sweeping all infidel people out of their holy land throughout Middle East region. All his ideas are now dogmas for them. In this case he is more to be a subculture symbol of Muslim.

In conclusion, Osama Bin Laden is a symbol of Muslim culture or not all depend on the way each individual’s thinking of him and how everything he did impact each of us. In my opinion, Osama Bin Laden is more to be counter culture symbol of Muslim culture.

Mainstream Culture.... All I think of is music!

By Marceline A Bien-Aime

Culture is the complex and elaborate system of meaning and behavior that defines the way of life for a group or society.  It is shared, learned, taken for granted, symbolic, and emergent and varies from on society to another.  Mainstream culture to me is like a trend that everyone follows.  Every day when you walk outside you see people wearing jeans, sneakers, shoes, shirts along with accessories.  Although it may be altered by different colors or style either way most people wear the same articles of clothing.  Now what most people relate the word “mainstream” is music. 

For years music has been a part of people’s everyday life.  It is known to be one of the most popular ways of entertainment.  Music has been known to touch hearts and even inspire minds.  Today we live in a world where music is always around us.  Whether on the radio or even on TV watching commercials we are surrounded by music.  But how do we define mainstream music? Mainstream music to most people is associated with what is constantly played on the radio or what is on the Billboard’s top 100. I asked a few friends what they consider as mainstream music and most said Pop Music.  However when I looked on the website I found different genres of music as the TOP 10.  Amongst the top 10 where Adele, Chris Brown, Jeremih, Kanye West, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.  All artists are associated with different genres of music but are they all considered mainstream? Click here to see the billboard hot 100

Many artist start off locally by doing talent shows or small gigs within their towns. There are many different music artists that haven't had their big debut but soon enough their time will come.  A local rapper in Philadelphia named Aime came out with a mix tape and decided to make songs on beats from different known artists.  However the last song on the mix tape stuck out to me for the simple fact he did a rap song to Miley Cyrus famous song Party in the USA.  Party in the USA is one of the biggest pop songs that came out in 2009.  There was no rapping on the song for she just sang on it but what about Aime who put a rap on top of the song? Click here to listen to Aime's version of Party in the USA 

Hip-Hop and Rap music are deemed more as sub-cultures then as mainstream, however while attending a few rap concerts in Philadelphia I found many different nationalities other than African-Americans who came to support the artists.  A famous DJ/Rapper duo named DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince came from West Philadelphia and was known for great music.  With hit songs like “Summertime” and “Brand New Funk” they were known in the community.  Now there’s a new duo just like them in Philadelphia named DJ Philly Will and Chris Vance.  A DJ/Rap duo from Philadelphia to that re-did the song “Brand New Funk” to pay tribute to old-school.  Many people tend to compare the two duos to each other however it is always refreshing to relive what was once then a big song in Hip-Hop Culture.

^DJ Philly Will and Chris Vance^

^DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince^

Whether it is Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap or R&B music, it is all mainstream in it’s own way.  Certain regions may listen to a particular type of music however being in the USA we are exposed to many diverse types of music.  Music is a part of people's everyday life, it helps define us and what we stand for.

P.S if you would like to hear more from Aime please visit http://perfectaime.com/ and for Chris Vance visit http://phlightschool.wordpress.com/ :) 

Keep The Change

By Daniel Ricciardi

      "Norms are the specific cultural expectations for how to behave in a given situation."

In today’s society, we have tons of social norms.  Whether the norm is to text message, or tipping at a restaurant, it is part of who we are as a culture.  For example, every person under at least thirty years of age know how to text.  Norms are the way we are, the way we live, and what makes us what we are today. One norm I am going to breakdown is tipping at a restaurant.

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and didn’t leave a tip?  Have you ever just paid the exact amount on the bill without giving any more or any less?  In today’s society, when you go out to a restaurant, majority of the time, you leave a tip without even thinking.  Tipping in a restaurant has become the proper thing to do.  Obviously there have been times where we barely leave anything because of bad service.  There has also been a time when you may have given a little extra, due to the kindness of the service. Tips are greatly appreciated, especially in our society.  Not every society tips in restaurants.  Many other countries have different cultural traditions, and they just respect the food.  In the United States, and in our society, we tip at restaurants.

I have been working in a restaurant for close to four years now.  I work hard, and it pays for some of my college. At my job, we make sure we go above and beyond to make sure that every customer is completely satisfied with their meal, and their service.  The better the service is, being honest, the more tips we make.  As customers, we have to remember that the people taking care of us at the restaurant, also has to earn a living.  There were times when tipping wasn’t “automatic”.  Instead, people would only tip when they wanted to.  Now, it is proper etiquette to tip.  Naturally in certain places, tips will be higher than others, but it is the thought that makes it special. 

We cannot forget the times when we tipped because we wanted to, not because it was implied.  As a restaurant employee, nothing makes me feel better about myself than when someone hands me a side-tip.  Sure, that person knows that I receive a percentage at the end of the night.  The person realizes that I went above and beyond for their every need, and felt I deserved a little extra.  I am trying not to sound money hungry, but as a society, we have to tip accordingly.  If the service is bad, we could leave a small tip, and vice versa.  Tipping is optional, but implied, yet very important to the workers.  Restaurant workers make nearly no salary, because the tip outs that they receive at the end of the night.  Social Norms covers so many things, that it is a very broad topic.  We as customers must learn to appreciate what people in restaurants do, and tip out of respect, and thankfulness.  Do you tip at restaurants?  If so, what percentage do you use?  Does anyone work or have worked in a restaurant? If so, back this norm up.

Mainstream Society...I can't keep up!

   By: Marnita Thomas


   When has it become a social norm to owning a expensive cell phone and having a Facebook account? Mainstream Culture has a changed dramatically since I was growing up( The early 90's) and quite frankly, I can't keep up!
 
 So here's my story...

 I'm on my break one day and I run across an old friend of mine. We start catching up and I ask her for her phone number to keep in touch. She blurts of "Girl, Facebook me". I look at her and say, Uh, I don't have a Facebook. She laughs and say, "What? everybody has a Facebook". She pulls out her "iPhone" and dials my number. When I grabbed my phone, she busts out laughing! "What is that contraption?" My cell phone, I respond. "Oh God, you really need to get with the program".

Okay so what my phone is kinda old, but at least it works! I find it hard to wrap my head around the frenzy that people go through. Just to receive the newest sleeker version of the cell phone they already own.

For example -this is just ridiculous, and I don't get it!  http://youtu.be/kikI9UqEONY

Its every where! http://youtu.be/hruCMnGOM-M

Gone are the days when you asked someone for their phone number and they actually wrote it down. Gone are the days when you run home to get that important phone call you did't want to miss. Why do that when its so convenient to have a $500 phone in your pocket!? Technology is forever evolving and I guess I need "To get with the program".

In high school it was "My Space" now its "Facebook". As soon as I get hip to the Facebook. People are telling me its all about "Twitter". Then when I finally sit down to try to compose a tweet. I receive a text message from my friend inviting me to come "Tango"? (what the heck is Tango? somebody please comment and let me know) No matter where you go you can't escape it. Technology is among us. You either get with it, or get left. Why do people feel the need to buy these outrageously expensive gadgets? Or check their Facebook account over 15 times a day? Is it to obtain some kind of social status? Or just wanting to be accepted amongst their peers.

I know culture varies over time, for example Facebook again
Do you have a facebook?


As of July 2010 Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network. Accumulating more than 600 million active users monthly. Proclaiming Facebook the largest social network in the world! I would say that's a pretty dominant culture.

I'm really not too much a fan of the of the way times have changed. I honestly missed the days when if I wanted to talk to my best friend I would simply call her or go see her. Now my best friend would rather text message me a whole conversation! Before she would physically hand me a invitation to her birthday party. Now she would much rather inbox me about it on Facebook.

I know Technology has its pros and cons, and I'm trying to adapt, but if somebody else walks up to me. Then laughs at my 2 year old phone that only talks and text, than Mainstream society....we gone have a problem!!!

  

Culture and Socialization

By: Jessica Diaz

Culture is a way of life that humans develop and pass on from generation to generation. Socialization is the way in which we develop through interactions with others, and how to relate to other people in society. Culture and socialization can play a big part in a child’s attitude and behavior. Children watch the way that people around them behave and interact with one another and these actions influence the way that they will behave as they grow up.

Children learn from adults around them about what's right and wrong. Being a good role model is important, even if you don't have kids.  Children model their parents all the time on their thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. Their personalities are shaped by their experiences and if they experience negativity, it will affect them in some way.  

Always be aware of the choices you make, and how you conduct yourself because children learn by watching and repeating everything. The point is to be careful what you show your children because they will imitate what you do and even what you say. The only way to create a better world is to teach our children about our mistakes to prevent them from happening. Children are our future and we can start to make this world a better place by teaching our children to appreciate others and ourselves.

In or Out

By: Paul Barolette 


Today our society is infamous for creating social groups and labeling those who may seem different. It starts at a very young age, making friends that we may deem “fun” or “cool”, shunning, and ridiculing those we find “strange” or “weird”. The groups that we involve our selves with have a tremendous impact on our lives. Throughout our lifetime we face these social groups everyday whether it’s in our high schools, jobs or colleges. As individuals we cannot help but label others, it sometimes seems that this is a trait that we cannot elude, whether it is for better or worse. These social groupings have affected the behaviors of adolescents, in the form of bullying. There have been many incidents involving adolescents with bullying, the most recent in Philadelphia.(http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=7932673)Many have tried to explain the forming social groups and their behaviors, social physiologist Henri Tajfel discovered that we as a society have a tremendous ability of forming in groups and out groups within a matter of minutes. People tend hold positive attitudes towards their own groups, while having bias opinions on others. These social groupings can come in many different ways, race, culture, gender and religion just to name a few. The affect that groupings have on individuals is also relevant. Many times when we encounter a new place, or school, individuals always seem to be attracted to those of the same skin color or ethnicity. We feel safe as individuals many times in groups, and often these groups can be for the worse. What are your thoughts on this issue?

The Importance of Socialization

By Jusu Dunor

Socialization through Peer-group
Through socialization we discover how to behave, what to expect from others or society’s norms and values.

Sociologists, around the globe have been figuring out patterns of human attitudes and behavior from birth till prime of life. These observation and patterns carried on by sociologists is mainly geared toward the transformation of infants who are born without culture to developing a culture through a process called Socialization. During this process people learn values, attitudes and appropriate behaviors of a particular culture, that are acquired through parents, teachers and their general society. During socialization, we grasp the language of the culture we belong to as well as the positions we are to play in life.

Additionally, an important tool to socialization is Norms. In the field of sociology Norms play a vital role: it is the conception of appropriate and expected behaviors that are held by most members of the society, and acquired through socialization.

One may ask what the benefits of socialization are, what do we get when we socialize? The answer is simple. When we socialize we can achieve several things including the following:

• Language

• Culture (norms, values, beliefs, etc.) 

• Perception of others

• Consider ourselves as a social being or a “social self”

More besides, there are several elements and agents that are combined to form socialization. Listed below are few. 

1. Primary socialization- socialization that occurs without the subject’s knowledge of it. 
2. Secondary socialization – socialization that is purposeful and obvious 
3. Anticipatory socialization – socialization that prepares people for future roles and statuses 
4. Reciprocal socialization – when children socialize parents like parents socialize children and, 
5. Re-socialization – the process of unlearning old norms, roles, and values, and learning new ones required in a new social environment.

Agents of socialization: an institution or group that prepares an individual for social life or society; example may include:

• Family
• School
• Media
• Peer-group

More importantly, the key concepts to socialization for our layman point of view are “culture” and “Norms”, these two are the pillow or cornerstone of socialization.

Cultural Symbols & Their Repercussion

By Desiree Raucci

The human mind associates cultural symbols as a visual, verbal or written representation of reality. Sybolism is everywhere around us, we associate deeper meaning to symbols every day and most of us do not even realize. 

Visual Cultural Symbols can be seen everywhere, we brand ourselves with tattoos to make a statement, we wear brand name clothing, listen to music on our ipods and drink grande skim lattes from Starbucks. Every one of those things I just mentioned are a form of symbolism. We associate the bitten apple icon to all Macintosh products, as we also do with the swoosh created by Nike. Many of us, including myself have tattoos, perhaps to show our rebellion yet still grouping ourselves with the rest of the inked nation. A tattoo is a form of symbolism, they mean something deeper than the ink resting in your skin. Married couples wear wedding bands to show their status of being taken and to show their loyalty to their other half. Most of the world, when you see the bright, yellow arches while driving down a highway you know a McDonalds will be coming up in the near future. In short, visual symbols are everywhere around us.

Written Cultural Symbols are used everyday in one of the most popular things to do, texting. Texting has created a completely new language in recent years. Everything is abbreviated to make sending your message easier. Every language in the world is written symbolism, it shows our culture by another just by scanning the pages of a foreign book or magazine.

Spoken Cultural Symbols also show who we are as a culture. Many languages have created sub languages, such as ebonics, slang and accents. I was born and raised in South Philadelphia and hearing me speak, anyone could guess that is where I am from. A southern accent shows the cultural twang of the persons home, and the New York accent may be the most heard accent on television and in movies. 

In the world today symbolism can show the social status of a person, how educated they might be, the age and even the culutural background. The symbols around us, make us. Throughout the decades symbols have been born and buried, and then brought back to life. The peace sign was very popular in the 1960's and 1970's as a sign of freedom and love often used to protest the war in Vietnam. In recent years it has been reborn, yet used more lightly perhaps more of a fashion statement these days. It kind of has lost its powerful aura it once had in earlier times. Even the crucifix symbol associated with religion has been re vamped in society as a symbol, many stars and musicians wear the rosary around their neck. A cultural symbol has now changed into a fashion statement. Cultural symbolism keeps evolving and will never stop until humans cease to exist. In the end my main point I trying to make is if there is a culture, there is symbolism. 

The Worship of Pop Artist (a social norm)

By Sa'ood Abdul-Basit


A social norm basically consist of a common practiced behavior among a majority of individuals who belong to a group.  Social norms are not hard to find or recognize, in fact  you  are probably doing a few social norms as you read my post.

(for more information read the Wiki article on Norms,)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(sociology)

I'd like to give you a analysis of  the Social norm stated in the title.



   The Worship of  Pop Artist 

I'll start off by saying this has "NOTHING" to do with crazy Illuminati theories about the music artist themselves, this is all about the fans.

Regardless of your taste, or style, most of us listen to at least some form of music.  but for many who are deep into the pop music cultures, they seem to view music different than others. Perhaps Music to them is more like a practiced religion or faith,   Their devotion to music impact all types of social norms for them,  from the way they think, speak, dress etc.

 Devotion to the Artist

Have you ever told a friend or acquittance that you do not like a music artist that they on the other hand obsess over? , did they oust you afterwards?.   perhaps its more like they unknowingly follow the artist like members of a  cult, and anyone who does not "believe as they do is deemed  a heretic(non believer), or hater which is widely used in today's dialogue. I myself have been shunned for not agreeing the same with my peers on popular music artist, this could be a hint to how we are encouraged to partake in norms.


Lets say, if your a 12 year old girl who attends a new  public school in a urban or suburban area, and your trying to fit in socially.  Probably the last thing you would say to engage a crowd of other girls is, "Hey guys I'm new here! and btw I do not like Justin Beiber" (Even it was the truth for you)





So far as 12 year old boys? maybe a bit difficult to give a exact artist for their example, regardless of who,  it probably  has to be a rapper,  I'd say lil Wayne. I think I'll write this example in a even more comedic approach"

"Are you the average teenage boy trying to fit in at your school?  want to feel like you got status?  wealth?  and girls? well now you can!!  just pop in the latest Lil Wayne mix tape and your state of mind will change within the first weeks of listening!!!"   


Ironically, some of us hardly know  the content or meaning to some rap lyrics, but still if the artist is whats hot,  many will say "That artist is the Truth". Interesting, the artist is viewed of so much high status that even when we cant interpret what their words mean, they still are correct regardless?  well Isn't that how some people feel about the words of God?




Praising, even at home

When people like to show how much they adore a artist,  some will go to the extreme of collecting all merchandise related to the music star, even decorating their own living spaces with the what they purchased.
Question is, is this the room of a "biggest fan" or more like a Shrine?


Lyric Quoting 


It is common for those who are familiar with pages from their religious text to quote the readings if it relates to a current situation in life.  but from what I observed is many people who are pop music enthusiast will relate their current status to a lyric from one of their favorite artist



Of course for some, music is by no means a faith to us, it will remain just a feel good activity, pass time or life motivating. Still I believe that based on statistics, we are overwhelmed by too many crazed music fanatics  to not recognize that worshiping Music Stars like "Deities" is indeed a informal Social Norm In our society.

                                            (Kanye West, POWER)