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This chapter made me reflect on ways of how gender showed up in my life. I grew up in a society were boys are expected to be tough and be emotionally closed off. While girls were expected to look put together and nice. It wasn't a strict rule, but it was there in how people recognized and praised such actions. There's a big emotional toll of gender inequality and discrimination. This can cause frustration and anger and marginalization for those who feel targeted. In my own experience, there were times when I felt like I had to stop myself, when I was scared of speaking up, or when I felt like I was being too confident because someone would think of me as being bossy. Looking back, I think that was one of the factors that shaped me without even realizing it. One thing that stood out is when the chapter talks about sexuality. How people love, who they get attracted to, or feeling peculiar. Being taught to be a girl felt like there were specific things in order to be accepted. But truth is, gender and sexuality are far more complex and come deeper than how people see it to be. I understand that sex refers to biological traits while gender is socially constructed with its roles, behaviors, and identity. This chapter taught me to understand that many things that I thought as normal or just the way it is are actually things that are taught from a very young age differencing depending on our gender roles in society. It's sad how society decides what’s feminine or masculine, and even though times are changing, these expectations still show up everywhere such as in families, in media, in school, and online. The chapter also explains how gender norms affect more than just feelings, they also affect real life outcomes.

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Chapter 9: Social Stratification in the United States

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Chapter 9: Social Stratification in the United States

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reading this chapter made me reflect, not with guilt but awareness. I didn't grow up struggling because my family had what we needed. I had access to great schools, a safe safe home, with stable food, internet, books, and support. I never had to think twice before asking to buy something or if we can afford it. Honestly, I didn't really think about how that's not normal for everyone and I'm privileged to have a family that can freely provide. I remember back then when my friend told me she couldn't come to the hang out I have planned and I remember taking it personally and being upset with her without really knowing the reason why. This reading made me realize that my normal ways wasn't everyone's normal. When I read this, it made me understand more about society and how it can be a complex system where people are ranked based on various factors such as their wealth, income, education, and occupation. This system creates a hierarchy were some groups have more access to resources and opportunities more than others do. This reading explains how moving in moving works in the social ladder, it's not just about wealth but it also affects how people treat you.

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This chapter made me reflect on how I grew up with being surrounded with people like me and it always gave me a sense of comfort, but I also felt uneducated and like I was missing out. I didn't grow up seeing racism happen around me because there wasn't any people surrounding me from different backgrounds. But as I got older and saw the world beyond my community, I started noticing how asians in general were treated in other places. Growing up in the Philippines, when people saw foreigners like people of color or Chinese, I've seen kids, usually of poverty, tend to cat call, say the n word, and mock the small eyes of people who visited the country. I didn't experience racism growing up, but I know that it was a part of many peoples reality. This chapter talks bout how race is socially constructed and it made me think beyond obvious racism and just skin color. Society labels people based on how they look, talk, or act. In where I grew up, I didn't think about race much because everyone around me pretty much looked the same. This chapter made me realize that just because I didn't see racial differences in my daily life, does't mean that race wasn't shaping my life. It shows up in quiet ways, in who is on the TV or who is in power and how I think of those different races based on their skin color and appearance.

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This reading felt challenging and enlightening. Page's reflection on race, identity, and experiences of being a person of color pushed me to reflect on my own understanding of race, not just by looking at personal experiences but also the social structures that shape my day to day life. It felt sad reading about this knowing that there are people of color still experiencing this in their lives right now. The way how Page was treated with suspicion, underestimated, or expected to change his behavior just to be accepted. It made me think of how exhausting it must be to navigate other people's perceptions. This is really eye opening because I have never thought about what it might feel like to have ur identity questioned or judged in places where you are supposed to be comfortable to be in such as work or school. This reading taught me more about social construction and intersectionality because this reading shows how race is not fixed on biological category, but on socially constructed that is shaped by history or political forces. This reading illustrates how race intersects with other aspects of identity such as class and gender that create peoples experiences of privilege or oppression. This reading made me understand privilege in another level. People of color are often expected to change how they behave to fit in, while white people just immediately assume that they belong which made me question what it really is about in fitting in and who are expected to adjust. I haven't experienced any discrimination, but this reading helped me to reflect of times that I have witnessed it without fully understanding. I have heard some of my classmates compliment a person of color that had just transferred to my school for being well-spoken and I thought that was just normal, but now I understand that the"compliment" comes from an assumption that people of color weren't expected to speak like that.

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Thus reading made me wonder how much unnecessary hate can exist in this world. I wasn't prepared to read about the existence on hate and those that sustain it in this reading. I learned that racism isn't just personal prejudice, but is also deeply connected to social structures and a persons identity. This reading made me thnk about how people are shaped by the environments they live in, if so, then the society itself has a role in forming this kind of hatred to people. Moreover, hate can be a way of life to people because it gives them power and fills their need for sense of belonging. I felt disturbed and disgusted how racism and hate seemed normal to some, like it doesn't hurt other people. It is also kind of sad reading about people who openly believe about white supremacy and freely call names and speak casually about the use of violence. Personally, being asian I never felt any hate or racism done to me because of racism, or maybe I just haven't realized. But from what I see and learned about hate and racism, I think that it's unnecessary that people are like that because what will hate do when words of hate can be viewed as just empty words to other people. I believe that people who are like this just have nothing to do in their lives and from this reading it made me see that hate can come from peoples problems with their self such as lack of identity or a desire to belong. And this just doesn't come from an individual, instead this can be built from social problems. At my school I have heard people making racist jokes about people of color or immigrants, though I often ignored it and thought it was a normal thing. It's sad that racism is still here in this year, but what's more sad is that racism survives because of the social systems that continue to allow it.

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After all these readings and discussions, I'm beginning to grasp how powerful social forces shape our behaviors, when there are some things before coming into sociology that I used to think as just normal or the way things are supposed to be. By this reading, it helped me to see that all my experiences growing up as a girl in school wasn't just personal experiences, but something far more deeper that has shaped me into the norms, roles, and expectations in my assigned gender. This reading made me feel sad, but also gave me a sense of recognition. The reading talks about how girls learn to value their appearance over their abilities and how school also can bring forth this message to girls. Reading about the pressures to conform to certain expectations in femininity such as being attractive and popular brings me back to how this played out in my life during elementary and middle school. I may not have realized it at that time, but I felt like my wroth was measured by how pretty or popular I was because I've always seen pretty and attractive girls get more recognition from teachers and boys. But I didn't understand what it truly meant back then, till now, from this reading, it opened my eyes how these small things affected me and made me doubt my own intelligence when the face and the brains isn't connected in identifying who I am. It's sad how people realize it so late, how this can be unavoidable in growing up, and how it goes unnoticed how these messages that the society gives make it seem like appearance and social acceptance is important that take away people from what's really important and undermine their own skills because the are too focused on appearance. Reading this kind of gave me validation about how I feel sometimes. I feel the want to express myself and who I am, but I also feel pressured to fit in. There is a big emotional toll that affects young girls from gender expectations and people might mot even realize that. Our beliefs and expectations in gender is taught by gender socialization that begins to form from childhood until we grow up. Gender is something that we learn and not what we are born with. One of the settings that we are taught this is in school, through our interactions, rules, and people we are surrounded with. It is surprising how obscure but powerful gender socialization is. In this reading, I have learned that gender expectations aren't just taught by family or social media, but it is also taught in places where we least expect it to be such as schools and this plays a huge role in shaping how we see ourselves and other people.

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This reading genuinely completely changed the way I think about my childhood. I used to believe as a kid that we are just naturally different, boys are tough and girls played nice and that's how it naturally was. But this reading opened my eyes to knowing that gender is not something that we are born already knowing, but something we learn through every day interactions with others. In this reading, Thorne and Luria really show how children perform gender roles in a lot of ways that we may not even notice, in how we play, speak, act, and surround ourselves with people. I remember in my childhood during family reunions that the boys would always be together playing sports while the girls stay together talking and playing dolls with each other. And until now, when a girl is seen being closely friends with a boy they are teased and talked about to be liking each other or dating when they aren't. All this time I thought about this experience as a natural part of growing up that people can just be really assuming and nosy of others lives. But in a deeper level, I learned that all these things that played in everybody's childhood were what taught people to be a girl or a boy in our culture. This also helped me understand that gender is not natural, but socially constructed. It is built by the society's rules, symbolism, language, and expectations. Our interactions with other people teaches us who we are and the meaning we connect to things. Growing up, children are constantly absorbing what they observe and copying the world around them. Reading this made me question where my own beliefs came from and how these expectations around have influenced my relationships and self-perceptions. This helped me to recognize that our childhood is not just a state of being innocent and free, but it's also a time when our beliefs and social patterns begin to form.

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In this reading, I think Tannen's point is that communications differences are cultural, not biological and it is important to recognize and learn each other language to avoid misunderstanding and misjudging one another. This reading has helped me to rethink about what I may think as normal in communication and to be more mindful about how gender shapes the way people speak and interpret others. After this reading, I began to look back at the arguments that I have had with boys and made me realize that the things that I took personal or the misunderstandings are actually shaped by a bigger social pattern. I remember the frustrating conversations I had with boys and it made me realize that it wasn't caused because of their personalities. Girls and boys are reflecting gender socialization that were taught to each gender while growing up such as communicating in different ways. Reading this made me feel validated because it talks about how women often use soft criticism and say sorry not to admit guilt but to show empathy, and I feel like this part deeply resonated with me and how I communicate with people. When I talk to people, I apologize a lot even when I haven't done anything wrong and people question and recognize that and it kind pf made me feel like I was below those people for some reason. But this reading made me feel like it wasn't just me who had a habit of saying sorry a lot, they're behaviors that we learn because they were taught to maintain relationships and avoid conflict. I think this situation plays out a lot in my life. Like during group activities at school, when I notice something wrong or could be improved, I don't straightforwardly say it, but try to make a suggestion that comes with praise for the good work because I didn't want people thinking that I was criticizing their work. And when this happen, often times, I have noticed that boys would try to dismiss my suggestions which made me feel like I wasn't taken seriously or thought of as dumb. Miscommunication can lead to a lot. This reading helped me to understand that communication is influenced by our gender and cultural norms. We are shaped by the roles and norms we have been taught depending on the assigned gender in those roles. So it affects the way we speak, listen, argue, and joke with other people. There's this saying that's going around social media "communication is key" but I think this saying is kind of pointless in some sense. Sure, communication is key, but comprehension is too. Both most be used in order for a conversation to work. People can communicate all they want, but if the other lacks understanding then communication is useless. That's why it is important to learn each others language.

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Gans doesn't specifically argue that poverty is a good or bad thing, but he talks about how it serves a purpose in the society which makes it hard to eliminate. While reading this, it makes me sad how people can have advantages in the struggle of others. But I was also conflicted while reading this because at first I felt defensive on how people can think poverty has a use, but in this reading I realized that poverty wasn't being excused, it was exposing the hard truth about society. Growing up, I was taught that poverty was a problem to be solved, not a condition that could be an advantage to anyone. This reading has given me a realization that the system that I benefit in causes disadvantages to others. It is explained that poverty serves an important function in the society, to help stabilize the system for those who are in higher classes. Reading this, I understood poverty from a different perspective, poverty isn't a result of failure or bad luck, but it's connected to how the economy is organized and how jobs are distributed. In my own life, this reading has helped me to examine my own privilege and the ways I benefit from the existence of poverty. I became more aware of the low wages that are paid to important workers and how our economic system relies on their labor.

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In this reading, it made me think a lot about pretty privilege and how it can be a good and bad thing for people. Being a beautiful woman gets a different treatment from people, they are usually offered help and opportunities more than "ugly" people. But having pretty privilege has problems in it too, a lot of people will want to take advantage of them and their kindness, while it can also trigger a lot because of jealousy. I've always known that appearance matters in society, but I never really digged deeply to realize how deeply beauty affects every part of life until this reading. People who are considered physically attractive are often treated better in school, at work, all around and every day interactions. What shocks me the most is how these beauty biases go unnoticed. People barely notices how much social power beauty carries and how it shapes real outcomes in peoples lives. On a personal level, I started reflecting about the times I felt judged for how I looked. There are experiences where I felt pressured to look a certain way in order to be taken seriously like wearing make up and looking put together in a way that fits what the society considers as attractive. When I had clear skin before, people especially my family would always compliment my face even without any make up on. But as I grew up and my face started getting acne, at times when meeting my family who I haven't seen in a long time, instead of complimenting my face, they would straight up talk about ways on how to get rid of them making me feel like having acne was a bad thing to have and not accepted in society, but it is a part of growing up. Just like class, race, and gender-- beauty gives people unearned advantages while it gives disadvantages to some. Attractive people are often assumed to be more intelligent, competent, and kind even without proving it and these labels can affect how people treat people in ways of giving them social advantage. While people that are looked on as unattractive might be seen as less capable and untrustworthy which can limit chances of succeeding and being treated fairly.

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Reading this made me see how hard it is being a woman, especially in male dominated fields. Yes, historically, military was made for men, though over time women have gained more access to military but are still viewed as people that don't belong and need to prove themselves in ways that men don't have to. It makes me sad how women have to act certain ways and sometimes have to conceal what they truly want to express themselves to be because of the stereotypes and symbols that people, especially men and traditional older generation people how they perceive women to be. I can't believe that in this world instead of gender being natural and fixed, it needs to be managed and performed especially for women being in environments where expectations don't fit who they are. This has helped me realize that in order to survive certain systems, people have to adjust who they are. When I think about women in the military, I feel a sense of admiration for their courage and dedication to serving the country. I feel deeply inspired seeing women break barriers and challenging traditional gender roles. But after the reading, I feel a deep concern about the challenges that they face such as the risk of assault and pressure to conform in male-dominated norms. Personally though, I've always believed in equality and opportunity for all no matter what gender so I find it discouraging to learn about the obstacles that women face in the military despite proving their capabilities and commitment. It seems exhausting being in their position because instead of just focusing on being good soldiers, they have to worry about not being too masculine or feminine. No matter how hard they work, their gender was always seen first in how others saw them. This reading show how gender is socially constructed and reinforced through norms, stereotypes, and practices. The military being a male dominated field looked down on women from combat roles as they worry about their physical strength. While I've never been in the military, I have been in situations were women was looked down upon by men because they are seen as too weak or men are so much more reliable when it comes to this and that. From my own experience I notice how I change how I speak or present myself depending on who I'm around. I am very well aware of the stigma that women faces so when I'm around men, I usually prefer showing myself to be knowledgable and confident because I don't like men nor do I like boosting their ego. But when I am around women I tend to be more understanding and vulnerable, I show my strength and softness in a way that is not threatening then when I'm around men.

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The obstacles of being a woman is so known to be a marginalized factor, but the struggles of men are often quiet because expressing emotions was often labeled as unmanly. As I read this reading, it made me think of my childhood and the world around me from a different point of view. Growing up, I used to believe that boys just naturally tough and emotionally closed off. But through life experiences and this reading, it helped me to realize that these behaviors are not natural, but taught, reinforced, and expected in being a man. And this proves how much of who we are is shaped by socialization. This reading made me feel more empathy because it reminds me of my boy cousins that are growing up. When we're with family, I often see them as emotionally closed off, tough, and quiet. But when I got closer to them, I see the reason why and it's sad how society can be so cruel to every kind of people. My cousins were taught by their uncles and dads to hide their feelings, avoid certain colors that are too feminine, and act tougher than who they really are. As well as the people around them too such as friends, acting in ways that make them look feminine result to teasing and mockery. It makes me sad thinking how boys grow up feeling like they have to hide their true selves in order to be accepted. In my own experience, as a girl I've been aware of gender expectations too. To be polite, put together, and nurturing, but I was always allowed even to dramatically express my emotions without shame. This reading made me realize that while girls deal with their own gender norms, boys also carry emotional weight that are often disregarded or overlooked. This reading opened my eyes to gender socialization, we learn how to act based on the roles that society assigns to our gender. Because of what we see as normal in gender based on the practices and culture norms that we grew up in, we are all a part of actively reinforcing gender roles even without meaning to.

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After reading the book, it felt like a heavy weight off my shoulders that a "perfect family" is basically just a myth and what's more important is how a family functions inside than how it looks outside. On a personal level, I feel pressured sometimes on how my family would look from other peoples point of view. I would question if my family looked toxic, healthy, or whatever condition people would think of us knowing that some of my family members does not really have a good image in public. I would feel pressured thinking that I have to live up to the idealistic expectations that people would have. But, digging deeper into hoe family functions, I learned to be more empathetic of others. A family can come in all situations, shapes, and sizes-- each family is doing the best that they can with what they have so why judge. Each families have their own strengths and lows, instead of focusing on what families lack, it is more important and true to recognize the commitment, love, and support that hold their connection together. I learned that a normal and healthy family that we see on the media isn't the full story and there is no right or wrong way to really operate in a family. My ideas regarding families isn't just some natural thing that came to my mind, but is socially constructed that has been shaped by factors such as social and economic. Reading the book made me recognize how ungrateful I can be when it comes to my family when I should be grateful for having the privilege that some people don't and couldn't have back then. Every time my parents would say no to me, I would get upset. Every time my parents would want to hang out with me, I'd either be too lazy or be nonchalant hanging out with them. Considering how kids back then were abused and neglected, I have learned to appreciate my family, especially my parents more after reading the book. My family may not be perfect, we have our own faults and flaws, but my parents always try to keep our family together and secured. This reading have helped me realize how easy it is to romanticize the past when comparing it to current struggles. But it also helped me learn to appreciate the emotional and financial support that I do have.

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Henslin, Eating Your Friends is the Hardest

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Henslin, Eating Your Friends is the Hardest

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Reading the story of the Andes survivors reminds me of how human resilience is so important when faced with unthinkable circumstances. While reading, on a personal level, I know that it is socially constructed from my society that eating human flesh is wrong in so many levels, that it's disgusting and humiliating. But it was hard not to feel empathy for the survivors and what they had to do in order to survive. It truly shows how people face what truly matters, especially in critical conditions and death is absolutely unavoidable. It also shows the lengths people would go to for survival and for each other. I find it fascinating how this story highlights human behavior. The survivors way of surviving challenges us peoples ethical frameworks, but it does make us consider the complexity in making moral decisions when survival is at stake. The survivors choice to engage in cannibalism might seem taboo in our society, but in theirs, where they were isolated seemed more rational. They were able to build new norms and social orders, this story helped me understand how new norms can be formed and have the power to influence the survivors behavior and interactions. Connecting this story to how it plays out in peoples (my) lives, I believe it highlights the importance of adaptability and critical thinking in problem-solving in overcoming life's challenges. The survivor's were resourceful and able to work together shows the power that human connection can help in times of crisis. So when faced with challenges, it is important to be resilient and do all that we can to survive, if you choose to survive. Sometimes facing the world with someone is better than doing it alone because human connection does have the power to influence each other either in a good or bad way.

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It is concerning how people, not just prison guards-- come to power and when they have more authority than someone find pleasure in treating them like a parasite or just in unethically ways. I have always believed that peoples actions come from their personalities wether they are kind, mean, cruel, strong, or weak. But reading this study made me realize that it has other factors too like how the social roles people are placed in can also shape our behavior. Just like how the people in the study can turn from ordinary people to being a victim or an abuser depending on the roles they were in. I found this study disturbing, especially how fast the STUDENTS that were assigned to be guards became so controlling and cruel. As well as how the prisoners quickly became submissive and the victim. This makes me think about human nature in general and question if people are naturally good or do they lose their morals when they come up to power. This emotional reaction made me reflect on my own experiences. I've never been in a prison, but I have encountered experiences where roles in society influenced how people behaves. Back in middle school, I remember how leaders in a school project or a friend group started acting superior and bossy that they control and just command people around while other people just stay silent and obey. Looking back, I see how everyone in society act on the roles they are assigned in depending on the situation and we forget to show who we really are. I believe this experiment shows how much power social roles really have in our society that it can shape our behaviors. The participants in the experiment weren't cruel or submissive, but the roles they were assigned to changed their actions and interactions. This is dangerous, especially when people lose their sense of identity in a group and no one dares to take a stand just like how the guards were too involved in their roles that they become too aggressive and lost empathy towards the prisoners. This experiment made me realize that we are all open to the influence of situational factors and that it's important to be aware of the dangers of conformity.

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Rosenhan, On Being Sane in Insane Places

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Rosenhan, On Being Sane in Insane Places

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In this reading, it genuinely made me question how seriously do people tale their jobs. In fields such as psychiatry, law, or journalism, it is important to avoid biases and present as well as analyze information neutrally without personal opinions. I think choosing a field that requires this needs commitment and adaptability because disregarding the cultures and norms that we have been used to can be hard in making opinions and decisions. The reading shows how labeling can push away reality especially when the patients were labeled with a diagnosis, their behaviors were looked at with that label even with normal activities that doesn't signal anything of being insane. It saddens me that people in a psychiatric institutions make people lose their sense of identity, not only to themselves, but also to other people. The patients were often ignored and were treated like an object, they were kept an eye on, but ignored and lacked human connection. It felt uncomfortable reading about how the pseudopatients were treated and it makes me wonder about the actual patients who stay there for a long and how well they are getting treated. Thinking about it, being labeled and stuck in a system that's supposed to help you, but instead make you lose your identity just because you were given a label is unsettling and how that label sticks to a person regardless of their actual sane state. Honestly, this makes me question how quick we are to judge and categorize people based on how we view them, especially when we don't even fully understand where they came from. It is disturbing how a completely sane person can be misidentified as insane, then further dehumanized. It made me recognize that our understanding of reality is/can be shaped through our interactions and cultural context. Insanity was shown at the reading as a social label, not a medical condition. It makes me lose hope of out society because once someone is labeled as "deviant" they are treated by the society from that label, regardless of their actual behavior. Being in that environment can be hard, also when the staff had all power and the patients could do nothing but obey them shows how the lack of power can influence how people behave and how they see themselves which pushes people to be in roles that they didn't choose to be in. This study changes my world view in some ways because I recognized how the doctors perceive mental illness socially and not medically. They made their judgements based on behavior and context which makes me realize that what they call normal is what the society expects which can be biased and FLAWED!! This taught me to be more aware of the language I use verbally or nonverbally as well as being more mindful not to categorize and make assumptions about people based on limited information.

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Before I knew about this reading, when I share my opinions about the police, I would have mixed feelings about them because although some are good and use their authority to make a safer environment, some can also abuse their position to do what they want with other people-- innocent or not just because of their "own judgement." After reading this book, my opinion about them didn't really changed but it did open my eyes and make me learn more about what's behind their actions or what they do. A lot of people may think about the actions that the police choose to take as bad or understandable and this comes from what we think as normal. When I was a kid, I had an uncle that's in the police so I learned to admire them and believe that they can make our streets feel safer to be in. But hearing the news as I grow up, I started to lose some trust in the industry because some police resort to violence just because of their own biases on a person such as their race or gender. I believe that cops who resort to violence just to prove themselves to their peers and gain validation is immoral and undeserving to be a police. Although there are some cases that is reasonable for a police to take necessary actions, those who do it just for their own validation is just wrong and selfish because they are hurting someone who may have dome something bad, but doesn't deserve that kind of punishment just because they stepped on a polices ego. I find it disturbing when the police uses force even when it's unnecessary and just harm peoples lives that it's just seen as a part of the job. I find it bitter and awful how police use force because of their emotion like when a cop says they hit someone because they are angry from chasing them. This type of reaction feels human, but can also be very dangerous because the anger can be shaped by power and it's just unfair that the society sometimes protect these kinds of people from the consequences they deserve just because of their role. In real life, I only see and know most about cops from the news or social media. Whenever I see videos on social media of cops using violence there would always be debates in the comment section of people who thinks it was valid or unnecessary. This reading helped me see that there are different standards that each police departments hold up to, people and officers judge each other based on what they were taught to think as normal, it just depends on who does the judging of such actions.

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Chapter 7: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control

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Chapter 7: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control

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Thinking about deviance and crime, it brings up a lot of questions about fairness and empathy in the society. I genuinely think people even myself are so quick to judge people who break the rules without thinking about why people do it. It's also kind of unsettling realizing that much of the things we see as normal are all socially constructed, which makes me believe that in this world we are all biased. What's acceptable from another culture might be seen as taboo in another. Reading this reminded me that all our values and beliefs aren't universal truths. I feel like this reading asks us to be more compassionate and understanding of people who are different from us, even if we don't agree with their choices. This reading made me reflect on my past. I don't think i was a bad kid, but I know that I did things that made me seem deviant to society especially to older people. I am not afraid of speaking up when I think something is wrong and for people that are older, speaking up can be perceived as talking back so choosing to take a stand might be seen as deviant. I remember last year during freshmen year, our AVID teacher was a mess and unorganized. She made us take a final exam of spelling bee where the class was divided randomly into two groups and that final took 3 days to do. In those two groups if one misspelled a word on the first day, they get a 75, second day an 85, third day a 95. The final was completely unorganized and even when a student did so well they aren't able to get a 100 grade because the group who has more people left on the third day id the only one getting that extra 5 points. The way she explained the final was all over the place and she kept switching the rules so I decided to speak up about it. I was screamed at in class and I think after that she didn't like me for talking back and questioning her way of teaching. I see how deviance gets used as a label to shame people, especially to those who already have odds stacked against them. I feel like most of the people who get shamed are the addicts and criminals, and even though they have changed people still view them as a bad person, who they are from their past. This chapter opened my eyes to understand that deviance isn't always bad, but it just means breaking the a social norm that is socially constructed. I also learned about power and control, it's sad how power and control shape how deviance is defined and punished. It's not just about the act, but it's about who's doing it and who's watching.

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Chapter 14: Relationships, Marriage, and Family

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Chapter 14: Relationships, Marriage, and Family

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Relationships are often seen as always happy and lovely, but what others don't really know is that its painful and hard to be in sometimes. I figured out that being close, not ditching each other, and actually talking helps things not fall apart. It can also affect or have a great emotional toll on family issues like divorce, abuse, and inequality. Reading this chapter made me think a lot about my own family and the families I’ve seen growing up. My family wasn’t perfect, but we had love, structure, and support. I remember moments where I felt how gender roles were quietly expected like how my mom was always the one to clean, cook, and care for everyone even though she also worked. I also noticed how people in my community were sometimes judged if their families didn’t look “traditional.” I had a friend raised by a single mom, and I remember other kids asking where her dad was, like something was wrong with her. Looking back, that was unfair. Families work in so many different ways, and the chapter reminded me that love and support matter more than the structure. It also made me think about how society pressures people especially women to settle by a certain age. That pressure can feel heavy, even if no one says it out loud. We grow up thinking of a normal family as a mom, a dad, and kids. This chapter talks about how families look different across cultures and time, single-parent homes, same-sex couples, chosen families, grandparents raising kids which are all valid. It also says that marriage and relationships are kind of the things society makes up, with rules and regulations everyone follows. I’ve seen this in real life, people don’t always get married just for love, but also because of religion, money, what other people expect or also things like taxes. Marriage isn’t just romantic it’s political, financial, and cultural too. I also saw how gender roles show up in families, especially in who does the housework, who raises the kids, and who earns money. Even when both people work full-time, women often do more of the housework.

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I feel like this reading touches on a lot of peoples lives and experiences, especially in the working class. Growing up, I have noticed the struggles and sacrifices that my parents have made to provide for me. As I witnessed this, the idea of moving up has always been a part of my aspirations. I've always had the desire to achieve a better life and pay back my parents for all they've done and overcome the marginalization factors I face in society and these has also been my motivation in doing so. However, I've also come to realize that this path I want to take is not true without its challenges and contradictions. This reading has made me understand the barriers that people in the working-class face when trying to climb the social ladder. I've learned that moving up is simple a matter of effort or merit, it also depends on the access to resources, opportunities, and networks that are often unequally given to people. I used to think that moving up meant leaving behind everything associated with me from the past which made me sad, but I realized that true success involves taking my roots with me into my future and not abandoning them.

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The concept of the U.S upper class can be fascinating and intimidating, I mean who doesn't wanna live a luxurious life without having to worry much when shopping and spending "too much." It's a world often portrayed in media as something glamorous and unattainable, but this reading encouraged me to look beyond the surface and analyze the structures that create and maintain this classification. I find myself looking at the upper class with curiosity and skepticism. It is tempting to view the upper class as simple lucky or privileged, but I know it had a more deeper approach. The upper class rises from a share of the nation's wealth, power, and prestige, being in upper class isn't accidental. But it's a result of historical process and ongoing social structure. Being in upper class has a major impact in various aspects of life such as education, health, family, and even criminal justice that people in upper class usually get an advantage in. Moving up is becoming more difficult in society especially for those who are born in lower classes. Upper class isn't just a collection of individuals, but is a group with resources and power to pass on its advantages across generations. In my life, my interactions with the U.S upper class has been limited, I have observed the influence of upper class in many ways and I have also seen people who try to climb the social ladder but fails. I think being in upper class is a big goal that people have, but I also believe that without connections and resources freely handed out, it is almost impossible to reach the goal.

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Gracey, Kindergarten as Academic Boot Camp

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Gracey, Kindergarten as Academic Boot Camp

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Thinking about Gracey's ideas, it makes me think about how much we learn without even realizing it when we were little. I always thought of kindergarten as where we play and make friends, but it's also where we first start learning how to follow rules, wait our turn, and share. Kindergarten feels like a gentle introduction to the idea that the world doesn't revolve around us. This is where we gently learn how to navigate into a bigger world and how to fit in. This reading made me understand more that school isn't just a place where we learn facts, it's also a place where we mostly learn how to be members of society. Kindergarten is where we humbly start to learn to accept authority, obeying, and competing with others. It's a quiet but powerful teaching that shapes us into the kind of people who can function in a structured environment. I see this play out in my life so many times, I found it hard to adjust moving into a new country. But adapting and adjusting living into a new country comes from the lessons that have been taught to me in kindergarten. Cooperating with other people, following instructions, and dealing with frustrations are all lessons learned when I was in kindergarten and growing up. The habits and attitudes that are learned from that early stage of life really set us up for how we handle challenges and opportunities when we grow up. Kindergarten provides a quiet lesson that influence how we interact with the world in our lives.

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Chapter 16: Education and Chapter 17.3: Politics in the United States

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Chapter 16: Education and Chapter 17.3: Politics in the United States

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In chapter 16, it made me reflect on how I grew up and the education I received. Growing up, I did well in school. I did find some enjoyment in learning, I got decent grades, and didn't question the system much. But looking back after this chapter, I realize that I was blessed to have the privilege that most kids didn't have. I had access to good teachers, tutors, and good support at home. I remember someone in my class last year who didn't have much friends, people thought of him as lazy because he was often sleeping in class or had many missing work. But no one asked him or even tried to find out what was going on his life outside school, but just judged from what they saw. The system didn't care. That's when I realized that school often rewards the students who already have support, and punishes who don't. That's the hard truth about reality. I believe that education is important and shaping individuals and the society. I also understand that access to a quality education is a powerful tool for empowerment and opportunity, but is not freely handed out to everyone. I understand that education is not just about teaching science or reading, but it's also what teaches us from our childhood how to be a part of the society such as learning rules, obeying, and competing with others. In chapter 17.3, it gave me an understanding that politics can be a source of both conflict and cooperation. This chapter helped me understand the emotional impact of political polarization and the frustration that people get from not feeling heard or represented. It also taught me the importance of informed participation in political processes. I understand the basic structure of U.S political system such as the 3 branches, role of political parties, and voting. What stood out to me was how politics isn’t just about elections, it’s about who gets heard and who doesn’t. The chapter talks about voter suppression, lobbying, and how money influences politics. That made me realize how the game is often tilted, just like in education.

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The toy industry often perpetuates traditional gender roles through its marketing and product design. In stores, distinct sections for boys and girls reinforce societal expectations, with girls' areas typically featuring dolls, princess dresses, and beauty kits, while boys' sections showcase model cars, construction sets, and action figures. This division can limit children's exploration of their full range of abilities and passions, potentially shaping their interests and skills in narrow, predefined ways. By reinforcing stereotypes, the toy industry may inadvertently impact the inclusivity of all children's skills and interests, influencing their development and potential.

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Beauty magazines and websites tend to feature a narrow definition of beauty, often showcasing predominantly white, thin models with flawless skin and perfect features. This lack of diversity can be striking, especially when you consider the wide range of human experiences and body types. The emphasis on physical appearance can be damaging, leading to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem for those who don't fit the mold. It's likely that these beauty standards are shaped by a combination of cultural norms, industry pressures, and societal biases. Whatever the reason, the impact is real: people may feel like they don't measure up, and that can affect their sense of self-worth.

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This video really shocked me. I knew there was a wealth gap, but I didn’t realize how extreme it was. As someone from the upper class, I honestly didn’t think we held that much of the wealth and it feels unfair, and honestly kind of disturbing. I feel a mix of guilt and frustration. Guilt, because I’ve lived comfortably without understanding how many people are barely getting by. Frustration, because now I see how the system is set up to keep things this way. It made me think about how society teaches people that success is just about working hard, but that clearly isn’t true. The video made me see how conflict theory really plays out where the rich have the power to protect their own interests, while the poor struggle with limited resources and opportunities. That graph showing how little the bottom class owns was heartbreaking. I used to think poverty was rare, or that it was someone’s personal fault. Now I understand it’s structural. I think it’s easy for people in my position to ignore this because we’re not affected by it directly, but that doesn’t make it right. The video made me feel uncomfortable, but in a way I needed. It pushed me to think about privilege, and how wealth shapes who gets to have a voice, a choice, and even peace of mind. I honestly believe we need serious change whether that’s in taxes, education, or how we talk about money in this country. People deserve better than this.

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Manuel(Father) is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and only given a few months to live. His last wish is to spend his remaining time with his children, so he convinces them to spend their seven consecutive Sundays together. As they spend these weeks together, family tensions and unresolved personal issues went out. Each siblings have their own challenges. Halfway through the film, Manuel's cancer diagnosis was a misdiagnosis, he actually has tuberculosis. He chooses to keep this as a secret, because he's afraid that his children would abandon him again if they found out. Later on the film, his children found out that he actually does not have a cancer, and it leads to confrontations, and expressing of frustration to each other. But eventually they forgave each other. In the end, they are together to support one another, reaffirming the strength of their familial bonds. This film helped me shape my perspective on how a family should work, it takes a lot of forgiveness. It shows that emotional openness, strong family bonds, and supporting each other is the key ingredients to a desirable family.

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I was studying in the library the other day when a man sat down near my table and began playing loud music on his speaker. I could hear it through my headphones since it was that loud. I remember asking myself what he was doing here. The library’s supposed to be quiet.” People were starting to look around, and a couple of them even gave him dirty looks. I couldn’t help but think that is super rude. The rule he was breaking is pretty clear, the library is a place for quiet, focused work. We all know that. I didn’t really think much about it until that moment, but it’s one of those unwritten rules everyone follows. The "there" is pretty much any quiet place, like libraries, classrooms, or study halls. It’s just expected that you respect other people’s need to concentrate. It made me wonder if he even realized it was a big deal, or if he just doesn’t care. I also saw one guy walking through the library barefoot. He wasn’t rushing or anything but just casually walking around with no shoes. That was a little strange too. Or maybe he just didn’t care about the “norm” of wearing shoes in public? In other places, like the beach or a park, walking barefoot is totally normal. But in the library it felt a little off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d probably do the same thing if I was just chilling with my friends or something but it felt kinda wrong because it was the library. I made me realize that the context really makes a difference. I called them both "rude" and "weird", but after giving it some more thinking, I saw that I may act the same way in a different circumstance and not even hesitate. The labels caused me to make quick judgments about them, but I must keep in mind that individuals behave in certain ways for lots of reasons. Sometimes it's more complicated than their simply being "weird."

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Race is a tricky idea. People often think of it as being about skin color or other physical traits. But really, those things don't tell us much about a person's genes. People within the same race can be very different genetically. When we say race is socially constructed, it means that race isn't a real thing in nature. Instead, it's an idea that people made up. Societies decide what race means, who belongs to which race, and how races should be treated. This can change over time and from place to place. Sometimes, powerful groups use race to stay in charge and treat other groups unfairly. So, race is not about biology, but about how societies create and use the idea of race. It's a made-up thing with real-life effects. These groups, like black or white don’t really say anything about who we are inside. It’s just a label society created, and those labels can change depending on where you are.

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It affects life in many visible and invisible ways. As a working middle-class, I feel the pressure of needing to work everyday just to maintain what kind of life I have right now. We're not poor, but we're also not wealthy. We are in the middle where we have just the right amount to live decently. Opportunities, wealthier people have a better chance when it comes to opportunities because they have lots of connections, and more access to it. On the other hand, we have to make the best out of what's available and affordable. It also affects how other people treats us, it is very noticeable when it comes to interacting with other people, the way they talk, their gestures towards you, and how they look at you. But working middle-class is the most prideful. We value the dignity of earning what we have, and we know how to take responsibility. But also there's still hope that the generation coming after me will become more of what I have become and have the life that I always wanted.

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One way I was socialized in my gender is through the types of toys and activities that I was encouraged to engage in. I was often given dolls play houses which have taught me to be nurturing and focus on domestic roles. I was also steered towards activities like dance which emphasize beauty. These experiences have shape my understanding of what is expected from me as a girl and women in society.