Moral Entrepreneurs

One concept from the book that caught my eye was moral entrepreneurs.  Moral entrepreneurs are certain people who have moral concerns they passionately want translated into law.  In this day and age, some of the biggest advocates for change is the medical cannabis community.  Whether you support the legalization or not, it is hard not to notice how mainstream this issue has gotten.  From deviant people such as rap artists and rebellious teens to cancer patients, they all seem to want to fight for the same cause.  But one large, negative side effect about the legalization would be the amount of people using it for purposes other than medical treatment.

Although not everyone supports the medical cannabis moral entrepreneurs, you cannot help but respect the passion they portray in their fight to make it legal. Here are a few articles and videos of the efforts many groups in multiple states are making to fight for what they believe is right:

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/30/local/la-me-0130-marijuana-legalization-20110130

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/new-medical-marijuana-initiative-in-california.html

I might not have the same passion as these individuals, but it gives me a good understanding of how you should fight for your beliefs.  Whether its religion, moral values, or a specific issues people need to understand that they are the ones who can make the change.  If people follow their passion then the success will follow.  So, I don't look up to someone who wants to legalize drugs, but seeing an ambitious, persistent attitude about an issue inspires me.  We all need inspiration from time to time.

Tiger Woods: Hyper-sexualization

I have been reading many articles online hoping to find one that related to one of my interests.  One that caught my eye was the hyper-sexualization of black men referring to one of my favorite golfers, Tiger Woods.  The article was interesting in a sense that everything revolved around the white culture.  No matter what your heritage may be, the public eye sees you as a minority if it is part of your heritage. What he did was wrong, but how the media exploded into his personal life may not have been the best way to handle that situation.  Check out the article and see what you think.

http://nortonbooks.typepad.com/everydaysociology/2010/01/tiger-woods-and-the-hyper-sexualization-of-black-men.html

How It All Began

Well, it is safe to say that I am a blend of many European backgrounds.  My heritage consists of being: Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Irish, and majority German.  I pride myself in having a broad spectrum of heritages. I have adopted skills from every culture and many of them I probably don't even realizing I am doing them.  Most of all, I respect the ambitious and entrepreneurial traits I have gained from them.  Moving to the United States only proves that I fit in with my family.

It was the late 1880's when my great grandparents from both sides moved to America.  My mother's side of the family hails from Scandinavian and Polish roots and moved to New York in hopes of making it big start a business or getting any type of job.  My father's side is mainly German and moved to Minnesota almost immediately after arriving in the United States.  

For many years my mother's family resided in New York, but soon moved to Minnesota in hopes of a fresh start.   Both families worked strenuous labor jobs working for the government and private contractors.  After having children (my grandparents), they all preceded to build the families in Minnesota.

Both of my grandfathers served time in the military and had very entrepreneurial mindsets.  Gerald Hodgin, my mother's father, opened and ran multiple concrete and construction businesses over twenty years.  He then received a job as a crane specialist at multiple refineries doing repairs to buildings and the equipment.

Joe Kellner, my father's father, was brought up in a very strict catholic household.  He was to attend church every Sunday and had to follow a strict regime within the household.  From his family and time in the military, he gained a very strong discipline for himself.  Did I mention he was extremely smart?  He decided to open up a franchise rental business in South Saint Paul, A-Z Rental, in 1967.  After four years of success, he branched away from the franchise and incorporated it into his own business, ABC Rentals. Forty-five years later and ABC Rentals is still going strong.  Like his father, my dad had a strong entrepreneurial mindset and took over the business full-time in the late 1990's.  In 2001, the world lost a great man, Joe Kellner.

Seeing my grandfathers succeed only drove me more to be a successful person.  And when both of my parents possess such positive traits, it was inevitable I would be lucky enough to acquire them as well.  One day I hope to own a business of my own.  I may not continue to run the family business, but I will take these skills I have been lucky enough to learn from family to help me be successful owning a business too.

Its funny to think my heritage is what has built me into the person I am today.  The traits and beliefs of each culture have been integrated into my everyday life.  Its inspiring to know how far my family has come throughout each generation, there is no reason why it has to stop now!

If you are in the need for party goods, lawn care, home construction tools and more then check out our website!  Or send me an email at: jkellner02@hamlineunivserity.edu and I will get you a deal!

http://www.abcrentalsinc.com/

All Eyes On You

One concept that carries over to any career or aspect of life is impression management.  In the textbook impression management is defined as the act of presenting a favorable public image of oneself so that others will form positive judgments (Newman, 175).  But their are many negative connotations associated with how people look.

I personally do not have any tattoos but very well could get one someday.  Tattoos are consider taboo in the professional world and carry a rebellious connotation.  But what would you do if you showed up and your doctor was covered in tattoos?  Most people would probably consider that as a lack of respect for their bodies and/or lacking the knowledge to make rational decisions that could effect their future.
Well this man may very well be your doctor:

A rapper has the connotation of being a trouble-making rebel.  One in particular smokes marijuana, was allegedly part of cocaine trafficking, and raps vulgar language in all of his albums.  But would you believe the same person gives a large sum of his time and money to help others out?  If he is such a bad person why does he use the money he earned to give back?  This rapper goes by Young Jeezy and every major holiday he goes around to less fortunate schools and organizations to give back.  Check out the awesome videos of how he brings a smile to kids and adults faces alike:

I hope these examples make you control your impression management better.  Just because someone portrays a negative image certainly doesn't mean that they have cruel intentions.  This is America and everyone has the opportunity to express themselves.  Next time you see a man filled with tattoos don't ASSUME that he is horrible person making irrational decisions with his life.  And if you happen to see a woman walking down the street in a short skirt don't ASSUME that she is scandalous woman with no respect for her body.  Not everyone wants to portray a positive impression, they just want to be unique.  Sometimes its the individuality that makes a person beautiful.  Just remember if you ASSUME it just makes and ASS out of U and ME.

Harmony and Life

There is always one thing that can turn my mood around.  The deep treble, the soothing voices, the creativity of each piece, and the messages that are shared for everyone to interpret in whatever way you like. Yes, I am talking about music.  Music may dovetail with sociology more than you believe.


Sociology of music is concerned with the function of music in society. Specifically in ways in which society influences the development of music. Music sociologists study such matters as patronage, direct and indirect, and its relationship to composition, and the ways in which music both reflects society and influences it. All kinds of music, popular and traditional as well as art music, fall within the scope of the discipline.


One concept sociologists use to analyze music is the production-of-culture approach. The production of culture perspective focuses on the ways in which the content of symbolic elements of culture are shaped by the systems within which they are created, distributed, evaluated, taught, and preserved.  One individual who seemed to integrate all aspects into his music was the one and only, Bob Marley.


From Jammin' to No Woman No Cry, Bob always found a way to influence society in a positive manner or give a creative new perspective to global problems.  A global issue that Bob Marley was a strong advocate for was spreading peace.  He wanted people to use music as a connection tool among cultures.  He had dreams and aspirations of one day seeing the world as one community connected through a common theme: Music.  It isn't hard to see how much of a social impact Mr. Marley had on our society, but the real interpretation comes from listening to his music.  I want people to listen to a few of his songs and make connections of how each song sends a message that influences change among our lives.


“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
― Bob Marley

The Parental Choice

One thing that may hit home for some people at Hamline, or any person in general, is having gay parents. In society it is normal for most people to have a father and a mother.  But what if your parents are gay?  Many people argue that having gay parents hinders success, creates social instability, and makes their children have problems defining their gender. I beg to differ.

I grew up in a so-called "normal" household with both an active influence on my life from my mother and father.  I had no problems distinguishing my gender and have lived a normal upbringing.  But one peer from high school grew up in a gay parental household.  She grew up with two mothers.  Openly lesbian, her parents had no problem raising a child.  I asked her if she saw a difference in how she was raised compared to her friends with a normal household and this was her answer.  "Not one bit.  Like most relationships, there was a dominant parent, but never once did I feel that I was raised any differently.  I am still successful and attending college.  My parents let me identify my gender without pressuring me to be lesbian or straight.  I want people to know that it wasn't weird or awkward having to mothers.  They still treated me with respect, but the only influence that my parents pressured me with was their liberal point of views.  And I thank for that because it has allowed me to open my eyes and accept everyone.  I understand every household is different and each culture has respective point of views on how you should live your life."

I wasn't surprised by this answer.  Having gay parents never made her depressed or pressured her into drugs.  The only thing she learned to deal with over time was the ridicule from other kids growing up.  They didn't know how accept her parents often made repulsive remarks about them. She quoted, "At first I didn't know what to do about this, but my parents taught me that everyone is entitled to their own opinion so let them think what they want."

I idolize her for this.  It has helped me accept the gay community which ultimately helped me fit in so well at Hamline.  I just want everyone to understand having gay parents might bring rude comments or misunderstandings, but it won't effect your future unless you allow it to.  Here is a great video backing up my argument:

"Live your life with eyes wide open and understand everyone is equal."  This is an inspirational quote from my father, and one people should follow for their entire life.

"Fat" America

One huge sociological problem that the world faces today is obesity.  To narrow this down a bit more we must look at the best of the best of obesity... The United States!  But is it true that we are the fattest country?  And if so, why do other countries seem to be "skinnier"?

Obesity- grossly fat or overweight; exceeding 30 or more on the BMI scale

First and foremost, lets take a look at the percentage of obesity among the individual states:

How do we know America is fat?  Well, as of 2010, not one single state had an obesity rating lower than 20%.  And the sad reality behind this is that it continues to climb from year to year.  But how does this compare to the rest of the world you might ask?

In relation to the rest of the world, we are "normal" with our rate of obesity, but still the number one in the world for fattest country.  Worldwide obesity has doubled (almost tripled) since 1980, with America being the primary cause.  Although we may think we are the only ones getting fat, we are wrong.  But yes, it is true, we are the ones to blame.  With our innovative ideas of food packaging and processing, we have implemented a fleet of "Westernized" foods to the rest of the world.  These foods contain high amounts of fat, oils, and preservatives which in turn are extremely unhealthy.

Statistically, the percent of obese men in the world went from 4.8% to 9.8% from 1980 to 2010.  And as for the women, they went from 7.9% to 13.8%.  So from this we can see that we are not the only country who fails to "watch what we eat."  Only eight countries worldwide didn't have a change in body mass index ratios.

Even with the weight loss programs, gym memberships, and catchy tv commercials promising weight loss it will be hard to change anything we do.  We keep making the fatty foods, eating McDonald's daily, and skipping workouts.  But many people are trying to attempt a healthier lifestyle.  Here are a few links if you want to start a new healthy path in your life!

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/10-tips-for-a-healthy-lifestyle-783833.html

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/04/50-ideas-for-healthy-lifestyle-that.html

http://healthylifestyletruth.com/blog/33-healthy-lifestyle-tips/

Not So Quiet Racism

I wanted to do a post on something that hits home.  Something that really effects me or someone close to me.  This is why I made a connection with the concept of quiet racism.  Quiet racism is lined to the traditional forms of personal racism by negative feelings toward certain groups.  The advantage I have with this social problem is that I am part of the majority so I see and notice the oppression of certain (or all) minorities.  Also, being able to grow up within a family business has also give me a whole different perspective on this issue.

First and foremost, I want to talk about a few examples of personal experiences of quiet racism.  In high school I had this friend named Chris (we are still friends).  Chris is an African-American and was the first generation of his family to be born in the United States.  He knew growing up in a split household that he would need to create his own success.  I idolize him for these traits, but one day he came to make and said something that made me take a different look at life.  He came to me and stated, "Man these people I keep meeting at job interviews and around town are racist."  Me being the curious man I am, asked him to explain what they said to him.  He followed by saying, "It isn't what they say.  It is how they act around me.  They might tell me the aren't racist or they try to be opened-minded, but I just know that they don't like me because I am black.  Why do people act that way?"  I didn't really have an answer for him, but I tried to reassure him that this was normal and that he probably got the wrong impression.

But did he really get the wrong impression?  Or was Chris right?  I will agree with Chris and go with the ladder of the two.  This is where quiet racism fell into place.  People might try to act like they aren't racist or that they are non-prejudice, but it is the look on their face and the attitude they portray that sells it.  After fully understanding this concept I watched as customers at work, friends, coaches, and teachers all did this.  Now, I am not implying EVERYONE does this, it is apparent that you can see it among certain people.  One of the causes of this in today's society is the thought that racism has disappeared.  It has certainly not, and by people not voicing their racial views vocally, they are doing it with nonverbal signals such as: tone of voice, eye contact, handshake (or lack of), and etc.  The said reality behind this is that many people do not believe they are in the wrong.  They have a false conscience telling them if the don't talk about racism then they aren't racist themselves.

This is something that has to change.  I want to see people quit using these subtle signs of racism.  It is almost as if many years of racial freedom fighting is being swept under the rug.  Ignorance will only make the racial issues worse.  People will always have their only perception on minority groups, but I think basing your racial beliefs off of stereotypes shows incompetence.  I want to see more information and classes available in grade schools and offices nationwide.

One prime example of quiet racism is the death of Treyvon Martin.  A man went use stereotype intuition and an innocent young child died because of it.  And the killers is essentially getting away with it scot free.  He claims he is not racist and racial prejudice had no influence on the outcome of the scenario.

Take a look at this article and tell me if you see how the quiet racism connection:

http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20120419/TEEN/304199995/-1/news?Title=Did-Zimmerman-act-out-of-fear-or-racism-

The question still has to be asked...  How close will we ever get to eliminating racism?  Will it always be the "white-perspective"?  Will you notice more quiet racists in society after reading this?  If you do, don't be afraid to question the scenario or demand respect for yourself or a friend.  

The only way to change something is to have the confidence and belief that you can do so!

Polygamy Marriages

One of the topics in our book caught my eye when I was watching TV the other day.  I watched a show where a man was happily married.  Seems normal right? Well, he wasn't just married to one woman but four women total.  With shows about hoarding, reality shows about getting drunk nightly, and cat whisperers, I wasn't too shocked to see that our society accepts (more so fascinated) polygamy.


Polygamy by definition is he practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. I wanted to figure out some of the history behind polygamy.  To me it has always been related to the Mormon religion and I knew very little about it...


Polygamy has never been accredited to one specific culture and has been seen in many cultures worldwide for thousands of years.  Poly gamos is literally translated in late Greek to "often married", but polygamy is broken down into three categories:

Polygyny- a man having multiple simultaneous wives

Polyandry- a woman having multiple simultaneous husbands

Group Marriage- multiple simultaneous husbands and wives

Most commonly practiced is polygyny, but some countries may restrict polygamy laws to only having one form of polygamy practiced instead of all three.  Currently, forty-nine countries acknowledge polygamy as part of their civil law, but the United States not being one of them.  Also, nearly ten religions ranging from Celtic Traditions to modern day Islam and Christianity all have separate beliefs about polygamy.  This is surprising considering most people only recognize multiple marriages as a part of the Mormon faith, myself included.


It is an interesting concept, one that I neither believe is wrong nor do I support it.  I never knew that there was actually three separate categories.  Although it is not accepted or followed much within the United States, our society is breaking the social norms and trying to put a positive light on the situation. 


Here is an article of how it is impacting us currently:
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-09-13/entertainment/27075123_1_19th-wife-polygamy-ann-eliza-young

Living On the Poverty Line

The government's official poverty line is around $22,113.  Is this too low?  Is it substantial?  This is what I am about to find out.  First, I am going to to figure out the monthly expenses for a typical four person family and then compare this to the poverty line and see what the results are.  Then, I will see what expenses could be eliminated.  Finally,  I will analyze my results.  Here we go!


Assume this family is renting a small house in the Midway area...

Food- $500
Car payment- $85
Gas for one car- $120
Insurance for car and renters insurance- $160
Rent- $1100
Water and heat- $90
Clothing- $200
Internet and cable- $120
Toiletries- $100
School supplies- $30
Misc. (spending money or to fix car)- $150

So I could add even more expenses if needed, but at this point I am already at $2,655.  Multiply that by 12 (monthly basis) and you get $31,860. That is a difference of $-9,747  And this is barely more than the NECESSITIES! Now, I want to trim out some items...  The ones that could be considered "extras" are: Internet and cable (not needed; use a public library if needed), a chunk of the spending money ($75 or so instead), and a decrease in clothing as well.  The negative side to decrease the money spent on clothes is the fact we live in Minnesota and require warm clothing which usually costs more.

Even after trying to eliminate some of the "extras" the total is roughly $26,000, which is still above the poverty line.  I cannot imagine how difficult if would be to live off of that amount of money and try to provide a healthy lifestyle for my family...

Even having $26,000 to spend this family wouldn't be living comfortably.  There would be no vacations,  limited extracurricular activities for kids or parents,  poor quality clothing, no second car, and the list could go on for days.  Factor in the possibility the car might need repairs, you might get a ticket, you may have to pay hospital bills if someone is sick and you can already see it would be near impossible to live an average life with this income.  Over time this would take a toll on the whole family.  Parents may get extremely stressed and use a drug to compensate the stress.  Kids might be made fun of at school for having trashy or cheap clothing and eventually lead to lack of success in academics.  Parents might be working so much that they won't be active in the children's lives, causing the children to experiment with drugs or hangout with the wrong kids.  The possibility of living a normal life would be extremely slim.

I know I couldn't live like this and part of what made me want to be successful was watching my parents succeed.  These kids would never see this and have a hard time reaching their potential in life.  The poverty line is a depressing statistic and changes NEED to be made.  Time to make a stand and help people out living in this situation...

Social Structure

For this entry I took a look at the social structure of the United States education system.  Social structure is defined as: the framework of society that exists above the level of individuals and provides the social setting in which individuals interact with one another to form relationships.  To relate this to the education system we must understand that there are national, state, district, and individual school structures to the education system within the United States.  Each one implements a different type of authority that or structure that guides us to accomplish set goals.  Nationally we might have to meet certain test scores to enter college or graduate.  Each state might have a specific test that each student must pass to meet national requirements.  It is a hierarchal approach to social structure.

The individual school structure or requirements is what I am more familiar with.  Each school sets standards or ways of teaching that are supposed to further your education.  My high school was not exactly the most renowned school in the state of Minnesota, but it accomplished what had to be done.  Ultimately, all I had to do was pass high school and pass the mandatory state tests to earn my degree.  But what if I wanted to go to college?

This is where I saw the importance of the social structure within our school systems.  Grades.  Grades are ultimately what determined if I would make it to college one day.  Also, it wasn't just grades but the difficulty of the class I was taking.  I knew that if I were to finish high school with a high GPA that would be awesome, but the social structure insisted that I could get a lower grade in a more difficult class and colleges would respect that much more.  Is this a flaw within our social structure or is it the right thing to implement?  I was an advocate for the AP or Honors classes because they made me concentrate on a specific issue within a subject and elaborate more.  This helped me build more thinking skills that I still use today.  These classes set me up for success within my college courses.

I never thought about the social structure that was implemented into my brain from a young age.  But is it truly fair to say that if someone doesn't have a high GPA or test scores in high school that they are dumb?  There are plenty of people that I know personally who are extremely smart, but they accomplished neither a high GPA or excellent test scores.  Most of which have a very entrepreneurial mindset.  This is why I am skeptical of the social structure that has been pounded into our brains for years now.

Do you think only good students end up successful?  Think again...
Check out these extremely successful people who did not even graduate college... or high school for some of them!

http://www.neatorama.com/2009/10/13/7-highly-successful-high-school-dropouts/

Funny how you can follow the structure of society and it will bring you success, but you can also break the social structure and create your own success.  As an entrepreneur I have much respect for the people who rebel against the norms and I hope people continue to do this!

To Be Deviant or Not

Deviance is an interesting subject considering I have met many people in my life who would be considered deviant.  If you are unfamiliar with deviance means it is the behavior, ideas, or attributes of an individual or group that some people in society find offensive.  The range of deviance is extremely broad, but a topic that caught my eye was the labeling theory.

This theory defines itself by stating that deviance is the consequence of the application of rules and sanctions to an offender; a deviant is an individual to whom the identity "deviant" has been successfully applied.  A person within a relationship who might be unfaithful is labeled as untrustworthy and will likely repeat the same actions.  An ex-convict will be labeled as a criminal and that they will not succeed in life without being a criminal.  Finally, if a coach were to pay players to hurt someone on the opposing team how would he be labeled by the public eye?

Coach Sean Payton

This question connects with a current issue with Sean Payton.  He is (was) the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, a NFL team. Sean Payton and defensive coordinator, Greg Williams, put a bounty on opposing team's players.  If the bounty was met and the player was hurt they would pay cash to their players.  Sean Payton is currently suspended for one season and Greg Williams is suspended indefinitely.

For more info regarding the allegations go to this site:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bounty-345628-suspended-payton.html

Regardless of the outcome of the trials and appeals that will occur over the next year or two, the big question is how will these coaches be labeled for their deviance?  Does celebrity status allow deviant acts to slide by or are they taken more seriously?  We will never truly know the answer to this.  Many people speculate that Sean Payton will keep his coaching job with the Saints and will continue his successful legacy.

Is this fair?  Within the past year, coaching great, Joe Paterno was put under the chopping block for the sex scandal of another coach at Penn State.  He had no affiliation with what happened but was labeled as "dirty, naive, and irresponsible" for being the head coach at the time of the events.  So how can one coach assist in a deviant act of promoting the injury of opposing players without much negative labeling and a coaching legend has his persona torn apart because of the acts his fellow coach committed?

This is where I see the flaw in the labeling theory.  People misunderstand the actions of a person and the affects of the environment at the time of the deviant act.  Sean Payton did take full responsibility for his actions, but he is still given the chance to appeal his case and continue coaching.  Meanwhile, a coaching legend is ripped of his job and livelihood because of the selfish acts of a fellow coach.  I see a large discrepancy and do not agree with the labeling theory.  I would put a label on someone depending on the severity of their actions and only if they personally were affiliated.  And I believe everyone deserves a second chance and if they ruin this chance then it is fair to give them a negative label.  Whether or not you agree, deviant acts will be deviant acts and society will immediately label a person whether they like it or not.  Just another reason why our society is no where near perfect...

Uniquely Family

What does family mean to you? Well, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census (from our textbook) a family household is composed of one or more people who occupy the the same housing unit. And according to dictionary.com family means a basic social unit consisting of parents and theirchildren, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not.  But is it truly fair to say a family must consist of just blood-related persons?  I believe it is unfair to say you must classify someone as family just because they have part of the same DNA as you.


A true family is a group of people who love you for who you are and what you represent.  I have plenty of friends that can admit they are not close to anyone in their family.  They should be sad right?  They beg to differ.  They say the only people who are really seen are family are the ones that have always been there for you. Here is an article to support my thought.


http://www.englishforums.com/English/FamilyDefinitionReadGiveOpinions/bljkm/post.htm


I couldn't imagine not being not close to my parents let alone having to live without a parent due to death or other circumstances.  Unfortunately, my cousins have had to do this for the last four years of their life. They told me that even though I am two generations apart from them that they see me as family.  They say family is defined by actions and love than who is blood related.  Sometimes people had that close individual that was blood related but lose them, so what do they resort to?  They realize that its truly the people you surround yourself that classify them as family.  


Family, just a word that describes who really means the most to you not matter what the circumstance.  In a weird way only certain unique individuals can be considered family to one self.  In a way we are uniquely family.

To Impress or Not To Impress

The topic for this week's post is impression management.  Impression management is the process by which people attempt to present a favorable public image of themselves (Newman, p. 175).  This is how stereotypes are presented and/or followed.

When thinking of who shows a favorable public image that would be the perfect candidate for positive impression management was rather tricky.  You may think celebrities of any status would be the perfect subject for this example, but what I found when researching I found its the people we don't hear about as often that portray positive impression management.

One positive example (or multiple) would be the managers of restaurants and small businesses.  They are constantly being looked at to have that positive image and to control the business.  How might a manager show impression management?  First, they usually dress in more formal character than a typical employee.  Second they almost always converse with customers in a positive manager with a smile on their face.  They also show positive reinforcement when they use corrective criticism when consulting employees about mistakes or absences.

A negative example of poor impression management is the infamous show, Jersey Shore.  The men may show positive things such as: well-groomed bodies, fashionable, masculine, etc.  But the negative connotation associated with the show and its characters is the ignorance they possess.  They feel that they have the right to treat women with disrespect in public, fight people at clubs, drink an absurd amount of liquor at one time, and of course have casual sex with just about anyone.  The way the public views them is just the sad reality to how they lack impression management control.

Here are a few links to support the negative connotations associated with poor impression management control or how reality shows have a negative impact on society:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/mtvs-jersey-shore-is-a-negative-for-new-jersey/

http://www.ehow.com/list_7305120_negative-effects-reality-shows.html

http://rosalindwiseman.com/2009/12/21/juice-abuse-why-jersey-shore-isnt-just-a-joke/

Sociology and Real World Connection

One concept that caught my eye throughout the first five chapters was globalization. This concept implicates the process through which people's lives all around the world become increasingly interconnected-- economically, politically, environmentally, and culturally.

I did further research to find out the extent of globalization after reading Chapter 2.  I was interested in finding out more about globalization because I am an avid car fan and realize that most parts are shipped to the USA for assembly.  One GM factory in South Korea had a globalization affect implemented into their actual name.  The company name was changed to Korea GM and all domestic products from the American based GM that was their, they were all removed from the country.

Chevy Globalization

This is an instance when globalization of a USA based company backfires in the long run.  As we are getting smarter we are learning from mistakes of globalization but it is still giving other countries a chance to cash in on our mistakes.  An American company like this started a new culture in a different country, but soon had it ripped away because the South Korean's used the globalization to their advantage.

Nonetheless, this is a good example of what globalization rarely turns in to.  It is usually has a positive impact on a community and the businesses with the cities.  Globalization is a unique concept and it would be really surprising to know the real number of companies that have outsourced and had a positive impact within that culture.

Go Green or Not?

Here is a link to an article based on the connection of Psychology and Marjiuana.  This is strictly based off of medical purposes in states that allow you to obtain a medical marijuana license, but it is directed at all marijuana consumers.


I found this is a rather fitting article considering I know a large population of the student body has consumed or currently consumes marijuana in some type of form (edibles, smoking, tinctures, etc.).


To summarize the article, the connection is made that our brain's own marijuana transmitter system is necessary for us to feel hungry, to experience happiness and also to maintain the brain normal processes. A drug, rimonabant, was tested by neuroscientists that interacted with the same part of  feeding center in the brain as marijuana did.  The drug was used in hopes to inhibit the "munchies," or sense of hunger.  The drug worked almost too well controlling hunger but, had major affects on mood and caused depression and thoughts of suicide.


From this psychologists can conclude that the there truly is a connection between marijuana and the psychology of our body.  At least one puff a day could alter your attitude and relieve depression.  It is funny to think that many of my peers are using an illegal drug, but it is actually benefiting their brain and mood.


Is this just another reason why marijuana should be or will be legal one day?  Food for thought...


But the true question is why is this relevant to sociology? Our culture is forever altering and this is a strong issue many people fight against.  Our society has the perception that people who smoke or use marijuana are lazy and have no direction in their life.  This may or may not be right, but the problem herein lies deeper than marijuana issues.  


The truth is that Americans are more prone to trying and experimenting with any type of illegal drug.  The two main experimental drugs are marijuana and cocaine.  Our society (USA) has the overpowering influence of media, and the use of drugs among celebrities is just adding fuel to the curious flame American's possess. 


"Researchers found that 42% of people surveyed in the U.S. had tried marijuana at least once, and 16% had tried cocaine. About 20% of residents surveyed in the Netherlands, by contrast, reported having tried pot; in Asian countries, such as Japan and China, marijuana use was virtually "non-existent," the study found. New Zealand was the only other country to claim roughly the same percentage of pot smokers as the U.S., but no other nation came close to the proportion of Americans who reported trying cocaine."


My question is if marijuana was legal would it make our society less likely to feed off of the rebellious actions of celebrities and higher power people? And if drugs such as cocaine or marijuana were legalized how would that effect our culture and tendencies compared to other countries?


I was shocked to see that a country such as Netherlands that allows consumption of weed in designated places had a lower rate of users or experimenters that the USA where it is a federal crime for possessing and/or use of marijuana.  This raises so many questions in my head but I am not sure how to perceive my friends or people using illegal drugs.  Our society has put stereotypes on drug users, but how might the perception change if marijuana is legal one day? That is the question...

Medicine: Dessert Before Dinner

After doing the last blog entry I did some research and found an interesting article that some people may find beneficial.  It talks about the benefits of eating dessert before dinner in order to maintain healthy teeth.
Here it is go take a look!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873629,00.html

Let me know what you think!

Breaking A Social Norm

This assignment was very intriguing to me.  I have always been a person to try and break or bend cultural stereotypes and norms.  But one of the examples hit home to me on a personal level.  The activity I chose to do was "eat dessert before dinner."  Now I understand this is not a very extreme experiment, but this choice was sure to give me feedback from my friends.

I called some friends to go out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings.  After looking at the menu and analyzing each food choice the waitress approached the table and proceeded to ask me, "What would you like to eat?."  I analyzed the menu one last time and flipped it over to the dessert section and said, "Ill take some of the chocolate cake please, and eight boneless wings.  But could you please bring me the cake first?"  She (the waitress) looked confused but nodded her head in agreement and  continued to take everyone else's orders.  After gathering the menus from our table she looked at me and asked, "Are you sure you do not want your entree first sir?"  I shook my head and said, "No thank you."

After dinner was over I asked my friends and the waitress what they thought about me breaking the social norm of having to eat your entree before considering order or eating dessert and these were the reactions:
"I thought it was quite odd and assumed you have already eaten a meal until you asked for wings too.  But its not my job to tell a customer how to order or what to eat so I had to comply even with confusion."- BWW waitress
"I thought it was supposed to be a sarcastic joke of some sorts, but when you did it I just laughed."- Joe (friend)
"I was positive that you just ate something before and only wanted dessert first, but I was just confused and thought you were weird for ordering backwards.  It just didn't seem normal." - Corey (friend)

So just as I suspected I had mixed reactions but the statement that stood out to me was from my friend Corey stating, "It just didn't seem normal."  This goes to show how an average person perceives nonmaterial culture.  For those who are confused, nonmaterial culture refers to all nonphysical products of society that are created over time and shared: knowledge, beliefs, customs, values, morals, symbols, and so on (Newman 100).  As you can see breaking a "normal" custom such as eating your main course before dessert brings mixed reactions from bystanders.

I enjoyed this assignment and it made me realize how stuck in our ways we really are as a society.  Doing something differently ultimately creates some change in society or it is ridiculed until the idea is wiped away.  I like to think of breaking social norms is a way of expressing yourself and being able to fight for your personal beliefs, but don't be surprised if people do not accept your idea.

Referring to my opening paragraph I said this hit home to me, but you may ask why?  Well after more than forty years of running our family business, we lost someone close.  He was our accountant for the longest time and was a great friend to my father, Bill Van Wychen.  But what is the correlation?  Whenever my dad would go to lunch with Bill, my dad said he would do something strange...  He would ALWAYS order dessert before his meal.  But what his reasoning?  He said, "You never know when it could be your last day so you might as well enjoy the good things in life while you are still here."  And Bill did just that.  He did that for every meal until he ultimately passed away from cancer.  Rest in peace Bill, you are missed.

Personal Billboards

  

To me a personal billboard could mean two things.  One ideal that comes to mind is that a personal billboard really exemplifies who that person is.  As stated in the reading, "Personal billboards are often used as a means of communicating group pride and identity. They reinforce the reality and vitality of the groups they represent. "(Newman 75).  Like in my license plate I made, it has its own personal and sometimes sentimental value.  My license plate is an exact replica of what my father's license plate is but his is ABC RJK.  The meaning behind the "ABC" exemplifies the business my dad owns, ABC Rentals.  He is proud of what he has done and where the company has developed from.  So, when he drives to meet with customers or just driving for leisure, there is a constant reminder on his vehicle that because of his company he is able to provide for his family and show a sense of personal pride.  The "RJK" on his license plate is just a testament to solidify himself.  The are his initials, but the family name has a high status in his business realm.  Moral of the story is he is proud of who he is and where he is going in life and chooses to portray that through his license plate.  Who knew such a small thing in your life could say so much about you.

In addition to the text, "In fact, personal billboards are the some of the most powerful "voices" for underprivileged groups."(Newman 73), I fully agree with this statement.  But sometimes voicing their opinion it is not always smart to portray your beliefs.

Here is an article about a man in Jamaica who was supporting his political beliefs by putting up posters around town and was killed while doing so.

http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=33975

On the other hand, I believe that billboards could be a way to express what you want to be seen as and its not really who you are.  If its a license plate or a billboard then you can mostly understand what someone is trying to portray.  But I feel that many people live a different life under the personal billboards they want people to see.  Maybe its motivation to be something or achieve a goal, or maybe it's just a person filling a confidence void they have within them.  Like the text said, it is a way for people to emulate a group and voice personal opinion.


You may be wondering why I put the blank billboard.  Well this is significant to me because it is how I perceive society.  What I see from a billboard or person doesn't usually match up with who they truly are.  Like the only saying goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover".  I wipe my mental slate clean with everyone I meet and this gives me the best opportunity to look past the stereotypes and interact with the true person underneath it all.

Twelve Years Young

Its hard to think almost ten years ago I was just twelve years old.  What was happening to me at the time? Where was I in my life? More importantly what was happening in society and has it influenced me today?  


It was 2004 and I was just twelve years young.  I was more interested in sports and video games than who was winning the presidential elections.  The only thing I was able to vote for was who I wanted on my student council.  My football team had just gone undefeated in our glorious seventh grade year and I was starting my first year of varsity alpine skiing.  I was skeptical about the new sport but I wanted to experience the good ol' crispy winter air firsthand.  Six years later,  skiing was ultimately my best high school sport and now will be a passion for the remainder of my life.  Football has to be a gift sent from god.  I wasn't sure if I was going to continue my football career but I ended up sticking too it.  Seven years later I find myself finished with another football season, at a whole new school and on a college team.  So could you say the minor decisions to continue two of my favorite sports at the age twelve influenced today?  Without a doubt.  I ultimately chose a school where I could play sports and further my education as well.


Who knew that a couple of minor decisions such as those would ultimately tell me where I am going to school and how I share a forever burning love for two passions of mine that I will have for life.  But what else was going on around me that was influential?  I'll break down into a few different views: politics, culture, and sports.




Politics
George Bush was reelected for his second term as the president of the United States of America only beating John Kerry by 2% in popular vote polls and a small electoral vote spread of 35 votes.  The Republicans stole the show but not without much controversy.  Concerns were raised about various aspects of the voting process, including whether voting had been made accessible to all those entitled to vote, whether ineligible voters were registered, whether voters were registered multiple times, and whether the votes cast had been correctly counted. Nevertheless Mr. Bush was back for round two.
Ultimately some George's policies had an affect on our personal business and the financial status of my household.  Whether he is to blame for part of the current economic situation is arguable but the current situation has made it hard to pay for college and hard on my family monetarily.  Weird to think of the political decisions made by eligible voters in 2004 made an impact on my personal when I couldn't even vote.


Culture
Music artists such as Usher, Lil' Jon, Maroon 5, Beyonce, and Kelis all had songs in the top ten pop songs.  But why do I narrow it down to pop songs? As much as I hate to admit it, this was my favorite music at the time.  No regrets though because the pound of the bass and treble from these songs only furthered my curiosity in multiple music genres.  The love of music started at about age twelve and I credit it to helping me through the good and bad times since 2004.  Looking at where these artists are today reflects which ones' I should look to as role models.  If they are successful and have some moral message or inspiration in their music then I would say they most definitely influenced my music personality today, considering these are the types of artists I prefer. 
But in hindsight were the songs and music videos a good influence? Check out this video of one of my favorite songs of the type Yeah! by Usher.


Usher- Yeah!


These were my first images of being a pop celebrity and  what their lifestyle entailed.  It may have been a negative influence on the portrayal of young women.  Luckily, I had amazing parents who made sure I would end up as a gentlemen and not like some of the artists I idolized.


Last but not least, my personal favorite section:
Sports
Football-NFL


-Tom Brady led his New England Patriots to yet another super bowl win over the Carolina Panthers 32-29


-Peyton Manning threw his 49th touchdown pass to pass Dan Marino as the all-time leader in passing touchdown




Basketball-NBA
-The Detroit Pistons win their third ever NBA championship over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers winning the series 4-1

Olympics-International

-Michael Phelps wins 6 gold medals and 2 bronze medals to help the USA win the most medals for swimming

-202 nations competed in the games; the most nations ever at the olympic games

But how do any of these sports facts influence me?  The determination and drive of Michael Phelps helped light a fire within me to become a better and more focused athlete, eventually placing me where I am today.  Seeing great quarterbacks like Tom Bray and Peyton Manning play inspired me to become a leader not only in sports but in life.  They portrayed an image that it was ok to be yourself and take your own direction.  I idolized the individuality of men like them and it built my person image.  One final thought was the 202 nations that competed together at the olympic games.  It made me realize that there were so many other people and influences across the world.  It inspired my love for travel and experiencing new cultures.  The presence of 202 nations coming together for one common cause was utterly amazing to the young twelve your mind I possessed.