I think this video helps illustrate why so many people think Americans are arrogant and only think about their own country. When something happens that doesn’t directly affect us, we make it seem as though it is not our problem. However, it essentially is our problem because many of the countries who have had natural disasters or catastrophes depend on us to give them aid. If larger and wealthier countries weren’t able to help them in their time of need, they would cease to exist. I think some of the recent tragedies that have happened to the US come to such a shock to many Americans because we are simply not use to catastrophe. I almost feel as though we believe we are so superior that we are almost obsolete to tragedy. That is why many Americans panic after something truly horrific happens; they are not used to some of the tragic events that other people have to go through. I know a lot of people stepped up and helped during the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers and Hurricane Katrina, but many Americans simply didn’t do anything about it. Because many Americans weren’t directly affected, they believed that it wasn’t there issue to help resolve. If Americans can’t even help out fellow Americans, they are definitely not going to help others that don’t even belong to their country. I think Americans are more likely to help others Americans then those from other countries. I think most of this has to do with the fact that many Americans were raised on the fact that America is indeed superior. It’s as if people think another country deserves something terrible to happen to them because they aren’t as good as the United States is. I think this has something to do with why Americans are hesitant to offer aid. I also believe that Americans are used to benefiting their lives instead of others. Many Americans believe in the philosophy of “I scratch your back, you scratch mine.” However, many people aren’t going to offer aid without the opportunity to gain something in return. Not to say that there aren’t people in this world that simply help out others because they are genuinely nice people, but most people are only concerned in receiving a reward. For many people, they will only help if they are recognized, if your efforts are going to go unnoticed, you are less likely to extend some aid. The real beauty of giving back is by doing something that you will not be recognized for. No one is going to know if you donate money to a cause or not, but by doing it and not telling anybody, is the true meaning of helping others.

I agree that there is a lot more to being a woman then just looks. There’s a lot more to who women are then big boobs and a pretty face. However, I think from a very young age the media was instilled images of the ideal body type. I think it’s really hard for young girls to grow thinking that who they are doesn’t depend on what they look like. If you turn on any TV or flip through a magazine, you are going to see the same cookie cutter shapes and sizes of women. The sad fact is, that many people are judged based on their looks. What you look like is the first thing people notice. Because of this, it’s hard to young girls who do not fit this stereotype to feel accepted. I think there is a time in every young girl’s life where they don’t feel happy about the way they look. In today’s society, the world is set up for thin, pretty girls. It’s not the same for everyone, but it is much easier to get through the day when you have a pretty face. I believe that certain privileges are granted to those who are “pretty,” it is almost as if what you look like is more important than who you actually are. Girls look in the mirror piece by piece; they don’t see themselves as a whole person. They look at parts that aren’t perfect and decide that since parts of them are not “regular” they must not fit in. I think it’s important for young girls to remember that it’s what they make up as a whole that’s really important. I think it’s also important for girls to remember that every girl has imperfections that they wish they could get rid of. I feel as if there wasn’t so much pressure on girls, we wouldn’t feel the constant burden of not having a particular body shape. When it comes down to it, a lot of girls think and act the way they do because of men. They feel as if they have to look a certain way in order to impress the members of the opposite sex. I find this really ironic considering as first glance many guys don’t notice what we’re wearing or what our exact figure looks like. Some women have continued to realize that although they might not be the perfect shape or size, that it’s okay to be different. A lot more women need to think about this way of thinking. If women would stop comparing themselves to others and start appreciating themselves for who they are, there would be a lot less hate women have for their bodies.

I think this question is a tough one to answer. It’s hard to change your opinion on race during one semester of learning. I think it’s hard for people to change their views, because they often have held onto these views for quite some time. Growing up, kids tend to hold onto the ideas the values that their parents felt; it isn’t until they become much older do they realize that they themselves can begin to make their own decisions. I also think it’s especially hard for students at Penn State to change their views because people tend to surround themselves with others that look and acts like them. While there are many people who broaden their outlook and choose to hang out with those that are different, many people tend to feel more comfortable when they are around people that are just like them. Personally, I would say that I have learned some things in this class. I can’t exactly say that the things Sam has taught me will change my life, or that I will remember them forever. However, I think basic concepts of understanding have been drilled in my mind to help me better understand the people around me. I think I give more time to people I just met to make a good impression. I try not to judge people after just meeting them; it really is unfair to judge a book by its cover. I think it’s a really heavy statement when someone says they have learned nothing during this class. I think for most people the class was a kind of eye opener. We all know that there is discrimination and prejudice that still exists today, and many of us face problems that go along with this every day. It seems unfair that some people would look at the facts and statistics that Sam has given to us and feel no emotion. It’s easy to say that something exists, but when there is proof shown right before your eyes, it seems even more difficult to believe. I also think that Sam showed the class that it’s okay to be ourselves; I can honestly say that I don’t think I will ever have a professor quite like Sam. Sam has said things that are true, but many people would not feel comfortable saying them out loud, Sam has paved a way to make students understand that professors do not know everything, and that although they hold some sort of authority, that we are still all people when it comes down to it. I also think that Sam does not drill his “ideas” into our heads, he makes it clear that is acceptable to hold any opinion that everyone is free to choose how they really believe.

I grew up in a predominately white town that didn’t have many minorities in it. I wasn’t even aware that different races existed until I was about 7 years old. When I was 7, a new neighbor moved in next door. She was my age and before long we became best friends. It wasn’t until we started school together did I realize how different she really was. All of my other friends were white, but she was Puerto Rican, which made her brown. When people compared her to other people it really hurt my feelings. I believe this is when I fully became aware of different races. I didn’t understand why people called her “brown,” to me; she was the same as my other friends. I began to see her differences and began to ask myself if we couldn’t be friends anymore because we were so different. I remember asking her one time why she was brown and I was white, she acted like she didn’t see any differences between us. To her, we really were the same. Because of her thoughts and actions, I learned that it was okay to be friends with different types of people. Because I had such an experience with race at such a young age, I think it made it easier for me to accept people who are different than me. Although I might be apprehensive at first, I always give people a try. I try not to think of stereotypes before meeting someone. I want them to show me who they truly are and not base my assumptions on stereotypes that are almost always false. Also, I didn’t realize that the Lion King was even set in Africa until I was much older. I think Disney took the easy way out in making a film about Africa by only including animals. Many of the animals “talked” like white people, I had no idea that the movie was based in Africa. I think that companies such as Disney, who are geared toward younger children should start instilling the idea of race into their heads. It’s hard to be aware of something when you’re so young if it’s not directly given to you. I think that Disney should have used real people, to make the story more realistic. I also think it’s completely unfair that Disney choose to just now release a movie with a black princess. It’s really a shame that Disney couldn’t put certain priorities first and realize that every child should learn from an early age the different races in the world. If more people were comfortable with different races earlier on in life, they would have less trouble accepting different people in the future.

I think there was such an issue with the discussion of periods in our class because it is a topic that many people (especially men) feel like doesn’t pertain to them, so they shouldn’t care. When I was younger, I remember being split into groups during health class. The boys were in one class and the girls were in the other. We only learned about our own bodies, and I didn’t learn a lot about the male reproductive system until I was much older. Because of this, I think it’s hard for people to talk about this topic in public. It’s one thing when you’re with your girlfriends and all going through the same thing. Guys don’t really have much to say about the topic because they never personally experienced it. The girls in the class have had to deal with having their periods for a long time now; it doesn’t really affect me when I have to talk about it to my friends. It just seems something that has become a part of my everyday life. I can understand where boys are coming from when they say they don’t want to listen to “period talk.” There are some things that girls don’t have to go through but boys don’t. let‘s just say I’ll never have to experience getting an erection. If a group of guy friends were talking about this topic, I clearly wouldn’t have a lot to say. It probably would make me feel uncomfortable because it’s hard to talk about something you’ve never experienced. I give the girl in this video a lot of credit for speaking the truth. The truth is, is that we shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to talk about this subject in public. It is a natural part of life and if it didn’t exist, none of us would even be here. I think it’s important not to take these kinds of topics so seriously. I really don’t find it that big of a deal that Sam talked about it in class. Yes, maybe it was a little out of context for a class discussion, but we’re in a sociology class. If we can’t learn about every aspect of the sexes, how are we supposed to learn about people in general? I think that Sam proved to our class that it’s okay to talk about this topic outside of closed doors. There’s going to come a time in the “real world” where we are all going to have to personally go through these issues. Maybe by starting to talk about these things now, we can begin to feel more comfortable talking about them in the future.

I think that white people have a hard time admitting that they feel guilt for being white because they don’t want to blame themselves for something they can’t control. It’s hard to put blame on yourself for something you didn’t do. Although this process is difficult, white people must put themselves in minorities’ shoes in order to fully understand this concept. If white people were put in the opposite position, they would feel the same way many minorities do. Our social status and race is basically determined by luck. We don’t choose who are family is or what race we want to be. We are born into this world with a pre conceived notion that is determined by our race. Without even opening our mouths, society already judges us just based on the color of our skin. Because of this, it isn’t fair for white people to say that they simply do not feel any guilt.

. I began to wonder how it was fair that these things happened to them because they were not the same race as me, why was I excluded. I also began to feel really reluctant to speak in class. Some people in my class had been through so much and had so much to say about race. Who was I to speak about race when I never I was being judged for being white. I felt as if what I had to say wasn’t as valid because I had never experienced the things they were now accustomed to. I think it’s important that we remind ourselves that we are who we are because of fate, while there may have been choices along the way that helped shaped the people we are today, we are basically they way we are because of luck. It isn’t right not to feel remorse for those who cannot help who they are.

Whether it’s our fault that discrimination exists or not, it is a fact that many people are born without having to go through many of the obstacles minorities have to overcome. I think this feeling of guilt can be changed by doing something proactive to change negative feelings and stereotypes towards minorities. In order for there to genuinely be equality, we need to accept people for who they are, not what color their skin is. We must first identify people as being human. I remember taking a class last semester where the majority of the class was people of color. We talked a lot about race in the class and whenever someone of color spoke of their experiences, I felt a huge feeling of guilt. It’s easy to say that I will never have to go through what many of the people in my class had talked about simply because of my race.

I think that white people have a hard time admitting that they feel guilt for being white because they don’t want to blame themselves for something they can’t control. It’s hard to put blame on yourself for something you didn’t do. Although this process is difficult, white people must put themselves in minorities’ shoes in order to fully understand this concept. If white people were put in the opposite position, they would feel the same way many minorities do. Our social status and race is basically determined by luck. We don’t choose who are family is or what race we want to be. We are born into this world with a pre conceived notion that is determined by our race. Without even opening our mouths, society already judges us just based on the color of our skin. Because of this, it isn’t fair for white people to say that they simply do not feel any guilt.

People believe that if they form an opinion they are subjected to ridicule. They would rather not say anything at all then have their opinion be tested. It almost seems impossible to me that people could actually keep silent during the owner and women’s conversation. I don’t believe in the actuality in saying that it isn’t their “place” to say anything. I’m sure if something of the same nature was going on in a public place, most people would have the common knowledge to help stop it. Discrimination should have no boundaries; it shouldn’t matter if a conversation of this kind of nature took place on a public street or in a private home. No one should be discriminated against just because of their race. It’s our duty as a part of mankind to make sure everyone gets treated fairly.