Globalization and Me

This is a very interesting question: how has/does globalization affect you??  Though we can’t see it, globalization affects everyone in almost everything they do.  When you walk down the aisles in WalMart, most of the products were made outside of the United States.  Big grocery stores like Food Lion and Giant have ‘international food’s sections.  While driving down the road you see foreign cars like Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen.  The list goes on.  But it does not stop with consumer products.  We cannot forget the media, among other things.  So, how does globalization affect me? I think a better question is how does it not?

Military Life and Culture Shock

My father was in the US Army when I was younger, so the majority of my childhood was spent overseas in Germany.  While in Germany, my family took advantage of our location and visited many other European countries.  This experience gave me an appreciation for different cultures and different languages, which led to my decision to major in International Studies.  What’s more is that, when I returned to the United States in 8^th grade, I was confused by American culture.  I had been so accustomed to small town bakeries, bike trails, and history on every corner that I was shocked when I realized that here small town bakeries are hard to come by, bike trails are almost nonexistent, and the only historic grounds are battlefields.  Now, this is an exaggeration, but you understand my point.  Perhaps the most confusing thing in the US is the role of alcohol.  In Germany, a beer was an excuse to chat with friends.   There were wine tastings almost every weekend; I can still remember how much fun the wine festivals were, not to mention Oktoberfest.  Yes, I have been to Oktoberfest.  And yes, I was a child.  But where an American dreams of going Oktoberfest to get drunk, we went to have a good time with family and friends.  This is not to say that people do not get drunk in Germany, it does happen; but it is completely different.  When I arrived to the US, I was surprised how many underage kids were talking about ‘getting wasted’, being excited about it, and talking about how awesome it was.  It is not just kids; some adults seem to have this same ‘let’s get wasted!’ attitude as if the party phase never left. Whatever this is, I will never understand it.

Dude You’re A Fag: A Generic Guide of Masculinity in High School

Pascoe, C.J. Dude, You’re A Fag. Berkely: University of California Press, 2007.

C.J. Pascoe’s ethnography, Dude, You’re A Fag, summarizes her research and fieldwork from eighteen months of study in a high school.  Pascoe interviewed students, teachers and administration.  Additionally, she also spent time observing in classrooms and school events such as prom.  Her conclusion is that masculinity is not tied to a male’s body, but is the “practices and discourses that different youths…may embody in different ways and to different degrees” and is understood “as a form of dominance usually expressed through sexualized discourses”(5).

Pascoe focuses her study of masculinity as sexualized discourses and how it develops during high school.  However, she does not discuss or give credit to the earlier years in a child’s life; where Pascoe will argue that these sexual issues will begin in high school, there is evidence that this occurs earlier.  Teachers and other adults are encountering issues of sexuality in middle school aged children.  In addition to this, sex education courses are being taught as early as middle school. 

Before Pascoe can fully conclude how masculinity is developed through sexualized discourses in high school, she must first research how this process begins in earlier years.  For example, Pascoe explains how events such as school dances promote compulsive heterosexuality (25); however, these events are not unique to high school.  Middle schools and even elementary schools often hold school dances for various other reasons, such as Valentine’s Day dances.  A Valentine’s Day dance is related to romance, but excludes homosexual romances.  In addition, eighth grade students often look forward to their end of the year eighth grade social, which celebrates their graduation from middle to high school; this social is basically like a miniature prom.  Furthermore, it does not stop with dances; sports and other competitive teams are also found in elementary and middle schools which add to the process of building concepts of masculinity and sexuality.  Also, dance teams and cheerleading squads not only promote a feminine sexualized discourse for females, but also promote compulsive heterosexuality by discouraging male participation.  Instead of ignoring these details in her ethnography, Pascoe should explain that some concepts have already been put into place before high school instead of conveying that it all occurs during high school.

            Moreover, Pascoe’s conclusions are generalized to high schools across the nation.  Her conclusions include: administration has little tolerance for politically involved homosexuals (147), teachers and administrators promote heterosexual discourses (39), and sexuality is treated differently based on race (71).  However, only one high school was observed to come up with these conclusions.  Where high schools have a generic structure, not every high school is the same, thus posing a threat to the external validity of her ethnographic research.  Some areas are more tolerant than others when it comes to sexuality as well as race; not to mention, where River High has a majority of white students, other schools have a majority of African American students or other races.  Because of the differences among each high school, Pascoe will need to observe a wider variety of high schools across the nation in order to make a stronger and more definitive conclusion.  Otherwise, she can explain that her conclusions are meant for a typical, mostly Caucasian and heterosexual high school.

            Lastly, Pascoe concludes that homosexual women deny their female anatomy for a male anatomy (128), of which she uses two students to verify this point.  The first is Rebeca, a lesbian student who describes herself as masculine, plays sports, and is not politically active; the second is Genevieve, a lesbian student who does not describe herself as masculine, does not play sports, and is politically active.  Rebeca states, “I can’t help it if I have girls on my jock” (128).  Later on in the book, Genevieve claims, “They can suck my cock” (145).  By claiming that they have a ‘jock’ or ‘cock’, these girls regender themselves.  However, Pascoe’s conclusion is too generalized.  Where Rebeca used her claim to symbolize girls’ attraction to her, Genevieve was using her claim as an insult. 

What Pascoe overlooked is that because masculinity tends be dominant over femininity, a dominant insult would more likely involve masculine features rather than feminine features.  This would explain why Genevieve’s insult has been used by heterosexual women as well as homosexual women; it does not necessarily mean that a woman who uses this insult is regendering herself.  In addition, men say this to one another, not necessarily in a homosexual tone, but rather as a symbol of dominance or trash talk.  Also, Pascoe explains that a part of masculinity is the ability to control a female’s body (104).  Naturally, males brag and try to outdo each other on their abilities to pleasure a woman and make the woman’s body do certain things.  So, if a woman was to say the ‘feminine equivalent’ of “They can suck my cock”, it would most likely be received as an invitation or a joke rather than an insult.  You do not hear men or women say “Eat me” and expect the other party to be dominated; instead, you hear sentences involving the male anatomy, which is dominant and penetrative. 

In conclusion, C.J. Pascoe’s ethnography covers a great amount of factors that contribute to masculinity in high schools including: the fag discourse (60), compulsive heterosexuality (84), and masculine girls (115).  However, what she fails to mention is how it has already developed earlier in life and how it can be different in other schools.  In addition, she has overlooked important details that can alter her conclusion.  Despite my findings, I recommend Dude, You’re A Fag to a reader that is at a college level or higher.  It is a great way to begin research or a discussion for a scholarly audience because the ethnography was not written for the average Joe to understand.  Pascoe’s ethnography is a well written guide to begin the study of masculinity and sexuality in high schools, though it is not stand-alone. 

Hong Kong ≠ Chinese??

I was working on homework with a friend of mine the other day when she mentioned something that I felt was very curious. We had been talking about our nationalities. For example, my family is from Puerto Rico, and so I identify as a Puerto Rican. In addition, because Puerto Rico is a United States Commonwealth, I also identify as an American. When we had first met in class, my friend had said that she was from China; now she specified that she was from Hong Kong. As we continued our conversation, she explained that it was offensive to her if someone identified her as “Chinese”; when I asked why, she explained that she identifies with Hong Kong, who was under British rule until 1997. Even though Hong Kong has been ‘returned’ to the People’s Republic of China, during the first decade of her life China was a completely separate nation from her own and these years have formed the basis for her national identity. So this got me thinking: if I were born before Puerto Rico became a United States territory, would I feel the same way towards ‘being an American’?

Ethnography

If I had the chance to conduct ethnographic research, I would study in Hong Kong. The purpose of my study would be to understand how the transfer of sovereignty in 1997 has influenced the younger population’s national identity. The research will be based on age groups, for example:

• Population born in 1997- this population was born in the exact same year as the transfer of sovereignty 
• Population born between 1985-1996- this population would have had time to develop a national identity before the transfer 
• Population born after 2000- it is important to see if those born after the transfer differ from those born before 

This study would take at least a few years. I do anticipate a few challenges. For one, although Hong Kong is considered bilingual, it would be important to learn the language of the people to fully understand their meanings. I must also learn the culture and social gestures; often times, body language says more than actual speech. I will also need to learn the history of Hong Kong and the history of the population’s national identity throughout the century.

After the research and analysis, I would publish my conclusions in a book. By doing this, I can briefly go over the history and then go into the research and analysis. A film would limit the amount of information I could show; in addition, viewers of another culture may misinterpret what they see on film, such as the body language of an interviewee, whereas I could fully explain these on paper. Although paper has its own limitations, this would be the best choice.

There's a Cougar on the Prowl!

We have all seen those older, rich men with beautiful, younger wives.  We even have a variety of labels for these individuals: sugar daddy, trophy wife, gold digger, etc.  These couples have been no stranger throughout time, and it is not limited to just the rich male population; a younger woman may also be seen dating or married to an older man of less financial means.  If you take the point of view of evolution, this makes sense: a man is still capable of his reproductive abilities during his old age (although it does slow down with time), whereas a woman’s ‘fertile age’ begins in the teens and ends around the age of 50 (Reyes 2010 p.35).  Recently, however, a different trend has come about: an older woman, around her 40’s or 50’s, hooks up with, dates, or even marries a younger man in his 20’s or 30’s.  These women have been labeled cougars; the younger males have been labeled as cubs.

Controversy….Really?!

The cougar population is growing rapidly.  It is not uncommon to turn on the television and see images of older women with younger men: Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones, and other shows like Cougar Town and The Cougar.  However, despite the increasing cougar population, there is also a large population that objects to this scenario.  The arguments held by this population include that this is unnatural evolutionarily speaking and the man can do so much better (et al. p.35).  What they mean is that a man with a younger woman is acceptable because they are still able to reproduce; however, a woman who has lost the ability to reproduce should not take a man out of the potential gene pool.  In addition, they argue that as women age, their ‘beauty’ grows less and less compared to their younger options.  But let’s get real here.  In this day and age, partnership is not always about reproduction; in the case of cougars, it is about the sex!  According to researchers from the University of Texas, women at this age are losing their fertility; in response to this loss, their sex drive increases dramatically before their fertility completely disappears (et al. p.35).  So naturally, it makes sense to look for a younger, healthier partner whose sex drive matches her own.  Now, this is not a universal reason either; some women are looking for a younger man for emotional connections.  It is no secret that love is not always ‘eternal’.  Cougars have claimed that younger men carry “…less emotional baggage, tries harder at romance, and exhibits refreshingly equitable views on gender roles” (et al. p.35).  And in response to the claim that ‘men can do better’, I say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Beauty may be physical attractiveness, and an older woman has not lost beauty, but is beautiful in a different form; beauty may also be personality and other traits that have nothing to do with physical appearance.

What About the Cubs?

So what does a cub get out of dating a cougar that he does not get from dating a woman his own age?  Some men claim that older woman are experienced at life in general, and because of their experience, they are mature.  It seems plausible: why go for a woman with issues and insecurities that she is still trying to figure out when you can skip all of that and still have the same (if not more) amount of sex?  In addition, older women hold a promise of financial stability. But not everyone has the same reason for being in a relationship, so just ask these men why they prefer older women and get their input!

I encourage you to do your own research, but for some tips on becoming a successful cougar click here!

Resources
Reyes, M. (2010). [FIELD GUIDE TO THE... ] Cougar. Psychology Today, 43(6), 34-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

The NEW Kinship Diagram

A kinship diagram is a visual representation of relations of blood and marriage; basically it is a family tree. Whereas ‘the family’ was the center of everything way back before the industrial revolution, things have somewhat changed since then (in the United States, at least). Society is more individualistic as we focus more on “my wants” and “my needs”. It is because of this that individual definitions of kinship are not limited to blood and marriage relations; today it is more about who you are closest to and who is in your network. So, I have been challenged to create an updated kinship chart based on what kinship means today.


So Let's Get Started!
The diagram revolves around the ego (myself) and so it is circular instead of a horizontal or vertical list.  Because of this, each individual's diagram will look different.  I included my family because they are a very big part of my life; we have always been a tight knit family and we are very close. I did change a few things from the original kinship diagram. Because of social networking websites, relationship status is no longer limited to single or married; they have added ‘dating’ and ‘engaged’ to the mix. I changed the ≈ symbol to a line with a C for various reasons. The ≈ symbol is used to symbolize a cohabiting couple, but not all cohabiting couples are the same; some couples are engaged to be married while others are not planning to get married at all or unable to get married due to legal reasons (by this I mean the injustices towards the LGBT community). I also added a line with a dot to symbolize dating or engaged couples who are not cohabiting.
In addition to adding relationship statuses, I added symbols for ‘best/close friends’ and ‘network’. In this society, it is all about who you know and it is not uncommon to find a job through your friends or networks. It is all about your network!

How Do We Get Out of This Economic Crisis?

Is This an Economic Crisis?

Well, is it? Unemployment is currently at 9.1%., and according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States has been in an economic recession since December of 2007.  So, this sounds like a crisis right?  But then we take into account that this is the fourth recession in the last three decades, yet also the highest decline in GDP.  Though it sounds like a ‘crisis’, the current economic state of the United States is simply: a recession.

Government Intervention Slows Progress

One thing that we all have to remember is that this is a capitalist society; we are here to make money.  We do have social programs, such as Social Security, but overall we are a capitalist country.  Let me just throw out there that I tend to favor socialistic views; with that being said, government intervention is not always the answer, especially when we’re talking about the economy.  Let me give you a few examples:

• When the government stopped regulating telephone lines/companies, rates decreased dramatically.  Not to mention now we have caller ID, call waiting, etc.
• It is these same capitalist corporations and organizations that everyone is accusing of being greedy that created the PDAs, smartphones, HD televisions, tablets, etc. Without government regulation, these companies are able to constantly upgrade and update their products.
•  Ultimately, it is the consumer that pays the burden of any taxes.  For example, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank bill, which places a “leash” on banks.  Personally, I agree that they need this ‘leash’.  After all, this whole recession you can argue began with their high risk loans.  However, then I remember that this is a capitalist society, and it is the consumer that pays the burden.  Have you noticed an extra charge on your debit card recently??  Perhaps the $5 charge just to have a debit card for Bank of America cardholders?  Yes.  This is a direct effect of the Dodd-Frank bill.

Leave It Alone!
So, what should we do to get out of this economic recession?? Well, for one, the government should stop intervening in the market. Recessions occur naturally, and the economy fixes itself just as naturally. When the economy is stable, government spending (social programs, unemployment benefits, stimulus, etc.) is at about 18-20%; it is currently between 33-35%. (Please excuse the lack of cited resources. Most of these notes I took in my macroeconomics class this semester and I did not write down the sources). Next, the income tax bracket for the wealthy should be raised or tax breaks should be restricted. The whole ‘trickle-down’ scenario where a big business firm makes a big profit, and then sends money down the ranks doesn’t always happen. At least with higher taxes, the poor community that is “living off of the system” will be able to see some of this money that was meant to ‘trickle-down’.

The most important thing, however, is that consumers gain their confidence in the economy; with the media throwing the word ‘crisis’ around here and there, consumer confidence is at an all time low. Consumption is 67% of GDP; half of consumption is the consumer’s trust in the economy. When consumer confidence is low, consumers tend to spend less money: with less money going in, even less money comes out.

Let’s Talk About the Jobs Plan
So, President Obama recently proposed a plan that would create $447 billion worth of jobs. That sounds like an easy fix to the economy right?? Well, it’s not so easy. First we have to realize that to create a SINGLE job in this plan, it costs $200,000; this is for a job for which the salary might only be half this cost, or even less. So where is the rest of this money going?? An even better question is where is this money coming from?? There is a lot of inefficiency involved, and this inefficiency is costly. Now, let’s talk about these jobs. Many of these jobs involve infrastructure, and do not last very long. Not to mention, the inefficiency is ridiculous. It took an entire 3 years to redo an intersection around my job; this seems too long. Prof. Ben Powell discusses that when creating jobs, it is important to create meaningful jobs versus just work.

Financial Literacy

Okay. So let’s talk about math classes in high school. When have you actually used any of that information? Exactly. I have yet to use any formula I learned in calculus 4 years ago.  Not to mention Trig, Stats, Algebra… Instead of or along with these classes in high school, a financial literacy class should be required.  Half of the blame for the bank bailout crisis goes to those individuals who signed onto a loan that was well beyond their means; this is where financial literacy comes in.  Those individuals would have known the high risk that came with these loans and would have had the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision.  A financial literacy class will help to avoid these situations in the future.

For more information:

• On the Dodd-Frank bill
• On President Obama's job plan
• More on President Obama's job plan

I Am An American

During my cultural anthropology class this week, my professor posed the question "What does it mean to be American?" It got me thinking, well, what does it mean to be an American? I posted the question on my Facebook page to see how others would respond, and to no surprise, each response was different. One individual answered that to be an American, one would have to be recognized as an American under the Constitution as well as other US laws. Another individual drew from the idea of the American Dream: the idea that life should be better, richer, fuller, and with more opportunities available to the individual regardless of their social status. A third stated that to be an American is to "...live to eat...live to work...and live to worry about what others think of you..." These are all very different ideas, and each brings up a very good point. It is true that to be a citizen of the United States of America, one must be recognized as such under law. In addition, the American Dream is a large part of the American culture, even if it is a different dream for everyone. And third, it is also true that as a whole, Americans overeat and are overworked. But what about the idea of worrying about what others think of you?? How does this play into the life of an American?

I Am A Minority
It is no secret that the United States was built on the backs of African slaves; in addition, the “white man” committed genocide against many Native American tribes. When Africans were recognized as citizens after the civil war, many of their rights were still withheld. Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924; even with citizenship, they were restricted to reservations and children were placed into schools specifically meant to assimilate them into the “American culture”. Life was not easy for immigrants either. For those groups that were allowed to enter the country, many received difficult and low paying jobs; living conditions were unsafe and unsanitary. Some groups, like the Chinese, were completely banned from immigrating to the United States; those that made it to the United States faced heavy loads of racial discrimination. Japanese Americans were taken from their homes and placed into internment camps. The list goes on and on: segregation, hate crimes, unequal opportunities. Lupe Fiasco references racism in the song “This City”: “Come to my city, certain colors can’t step. And sadly I’m talking about the color of your skin. Sorry my brother, I can’t let you in ‘cause the property value might go down to a level that’s economically unacceptable and socially taboo for us to live around you.” The 20th century was full of civil rights movements, resulting in legal equality for women and the many racial and ethnic groups; the United States has gone a long way. However, discrimination still exists even today, though not as strongly as it did in the past centuries. Stereotypes are still held: a black man walks into a store and the manager tenses; people talk loudly and slowly to an ESL individual as if they are ignorant; women belong at home cleaning and taking care of the kids, not the father; and my personal favorite, not only are all tan individuals categorized as “Mexican”, but their legal status is also questioned. But then you see someone like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and Sonia Sotomayor. “What does it mean to be American?” This does not have a universal answer. Generally, life is more difficult if you are a minority; but the same can also be true if you are a “White Man”.

I Am Homosexual
The same is true for LGBT individuals. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals face discrimination from all sides, on the basis that they are “not natural”. Considering the fact that homosexual and bisexual behaviors have been found in many different species, including penguins and squid, there is nothing unnatural about it. The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network stated that 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience some form of harassment in middle and high school in the past year; Jamey Rodemeyer, a homosexual teen in Buffalo, New York, recently committed suicide as a result of the bullying he has faced throughout his lifetime. As if this is not enough, certain freedoms have been stripped from them, such as the right to a same sex marriage in specific states. Although the United States is making way towards equality for the LGBT community, including the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, there is still a long way to go. Just as minority stereotypes are still held, so are LGBT stereotypes. Acceptance is far greater than it was 20 years ago, but it is still not where it should be.

Before you watch this video: Yes, they curse a lot. And it's sarcastic, so don't let the title fool you.

What Does It Mean To Be An American?
To be an American is to be recognized as such under United States law, and to have the equal freedom and opportunity that comes along with it. But, to be an American is also to be placed under a label, whether it be White, Black, Latino, Woman, or Gay. With every label comes its own difficulties and ease. To be an American is to choose to accept the label you have been given, or to fight to be seen as who you truly are.

For more information on:

• Jamey Rodemeyer Click Here
• Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network Click Here
• Same Sex Marriage laws in the United States Click Here And here!