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(Entry 1) Example #1 - Flowers My Girlfriend Gave me For Valentine's Day

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(Entry 1) Example #1 - Flowers My Girlfriend Gave me For Valentine's Day

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In taking a photo of flowers my girlfriend gave to me this Valentine's Day, two concepts would come into mind: culture shock and conformity(or the act to not conform). In the traditional Valentine's setting, it is typical for the man to be the one giving flowers, not receiving the flowers. Not following or conforming to this is an example of culture shock, the disorientation people may experience when they view this fundamentally different setting on Valentine's Day.

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(Entry 2) Example #2 - Robotics Boot Camp 

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(Entry 2) Example #2 - Robotics Boot Camp 

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I recently had the opportunity to volunteer and mentor kids interested in the field of robotics, which led me to relate these to the concept of secondary groups. In the social setting, these kids along with the instructor all shared the common interest of learning more about programming in robotics as well as to compete in a competition of tasks. This corresponds to what we are introduced in the course material, where although the individuals are all not of similar backgrounds, having the common interest or activity involved is what categorizes them together.

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(Entry 3) Quest #1 - Chicago Avenue and 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN

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(Entry 3) Quest #1 - Chicago Avenue and 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN

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This intersection of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street is the place of George Floyd’s death as well as the community gathering spot held in his honor and remembrance.

This tragedy and the disputes following illustrate our course’s concept of racial/ethnic inequality in the United States, exemplifying how prejudice and discrimination continues to be present to this day.

Deeper Connections:

1) What happened here?

A man named George Floyd was wrongfully accused and stopped by police, ultimately being killed in detainment due to excessive force.

2) How do people interact with this?

This tragedy has brought the community affected even closer together, serving as a monument to the Black Lives Matter movement as well as pushing to never forget the consequences of racial discrimination and prejudices.

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(Entry 4) Quest #2 - Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire

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(Entry 4) Quest #2 - Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire

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The song Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys is an R&B song pushing/calling for women’s empowerment, using fire as a prominent interpretive symbol.

This song corresponds to our course’s concept of the obstacles women continue to face today, particularly the glass ceiling—invisible barriers that limit women’s mobility despite their motivation and capacity for positions of power and prestige.

Deeper Connections:

1) Who made/created this?

R&B singer and songwriter Alicia Keys is notable for her role in the movement of women’s empowerment, especially with her number of tracks in relation and has inspired many.

2) Who benefits from this?

Songs similar to this continue to shed light on the issues of inequality we continue to have today, and this continued exposure will hopefully gain justice for those unfairly represented.

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(Entry 5) Quest #3 - Green Day - Holiday

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(Entry 5) Quest #3 - Green Day - Holiday

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The song Holiday by Green Day is a punk rock anti-war protest song acknowledging the government’s fault in the senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This course of events corresponds to our course’s concept of culture and how through American rock culture, this band was able to blend both a strong anti-war sentiment with a music piece.

Deeper Connections:

1) How do people interact with this?

The high popularity and playing of this song indicates the common anti-war opinion most Americans held, swaying the public opinion and confidence in the American government.

2) Another way to think about this quest(or an aspect of it)?

Another way to think about this quest would be to consider why the Afghanistan and Iraq wars were so unpopular with the American people and what were the course of events leading up to them?

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(Entry 6) Quest #4 - Human Rights, Environmental Justice, And Climate Change: Flint, Michigan

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(Entry 6) Quest #4 - Human Rights, Environmental Justice, And Climate Change: Flint, Michigan

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As seen above, residents of Flint, Michigan protest against those responsible for the lead-contaminated water present in the city’s drinking water supply.

The Flint water crisis is the culmination of poor government decision making resulting in harm to an undeserving community, illustrating the course’s concept of how the government can fail to support its own citizens(especially the disadvantaged).

Deeper Connections:

1) Who made/created this?

The actions of government officials responsible for the events following the Flint water crisis were deemed by the state-established body of the Michigan Civil Rights Commision to be a “result of systemic racism.”

2) Who doesn’t benefit?

Those who have consumed or have been exposed lead-contaminated water are at risk to various health issues, with the younger population having notably elevated blood lead levels in the nation.

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Balmy Street, also known as Balmy Alley is one that contains beautifully decorated, prominent mural pieces that depict indigenous Central American cultures as well as hints of protesting US involvement in Central America.

The depictions made in the murals correspond to our course’s content of discriminating institutions and their involvement/treatment towards a minority group.

Deeper Connections:

1) Who made/created this?

Various artists in the mid-80’s who began to express their outrage over the abuse and violation over human rights in Central America.

2) How do people interact with this?

Today, this alley is a common tourist spot with the many murals still in view along with restaurants and stores for visitors to enjoy.

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(Entry 8) Quest #6 - How did face masks become a political issue in America?

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(Entry 8) Quest #6 - How did face masks become a political issue in America?

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Protestors at Los Angeles City Hall demand an end to the COVID-19 Shutdown policies set in place for several months by Governor Newsom.

This event is one of many notable instances relating to our course’s concept of groupthink, with two different sides of the matter in opposition regarding whether or not COVID-19 shutdown policies should remain or be put to an end.

Deeper Connections:

1) Who benefits from this?

Corporations and companies who sustain via consumers benefit on the end to the COVID-19 shutdown as the economy is brought back into motion.

2) Who doesn’t benefit?

The older demographics or those at risk of illness are vulnerable to the state opening back up, especially if mask mandates are no longer enforced along with continuous COVID cases.

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(Entry 9) Quest #7 - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

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(Entry 9) Quest #7 - Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

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Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is the place where 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opens fire, killing 17 and injuring 17 others in what is known as the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in US history.

This event and the individual at fault corresponds to our course’s concept of deviants and their presence in today’s society.

Deeper Connections:

1) What happened here?

19-year-old Nikolas Cruz was a troubled individual who can likely be observed as a deviant of society—when society fails to provide a number of its people with the means to achieve cultural goals, rates of deviance, including crimes are likely to increase.

2) How does the meaning of this change depending on who is using or observing it?

Looking on the side of the victims, this incident is a public outrage and call for better gun control—but on the other hand in the perpetrator’s place can also be a call for advocating on mental health.

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(Entry 10) Quest #8 - A Pointlessly Gendered Product

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(Entry 10) Quest #8 - A Pointlessly Gendered Product

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This is one of many examples of pointlessly gendered products, with body spray meant for women branded as pink, the other for men in blue.

The body spray above corresponds to our course’s concepts of gender and the learned/socialized identities that are involved and perceived in our everyday lives, including the color association(blue/boy and pink/girl).

Deeper Connections:

1) Who made/created this?

This was a marketing strategy that can be observed to just attract the typical consumer, aiming to cater to a majority of the population.

2) How do people interact with this?

The design and appearance of products is a part of consumer decision making, but this color association should not be involved in how consumers distinguish one product from another.