It is amazing and coincidental that my dearly departed best friend LOVED this song by ODB. I can see him dancing in my head, unfortunately my raw journey was not as fun.
I started monday november 21st, a day that will forever live in infamy. I think the best way to cronicle my journey will be through the food I consumed. I started out this day with a banana. At work I had an apple and three or four bitter peices of lettuce with a house made dressing. For dinner: Celery with (non-roasted) peanut butter, and bananas on top. Needless to say I was very hungry, cranky and utterly pissed off.
But it was fun to tell preople about what I was doing. Everyone at work spent time trying to figure out what I couldn't eat, laugh at me, and then find things I could eat. Towards the end of the day and the rest of my journey my coworkers were my inspiration, encouranging me an forcing me to continue.
Tuesday, I was more prepared. I made a Strawberry banana &Ice smoothie. It was good! I made my friend buy me almond milk and I had a great big glass of that. Delicious. For lunch a walnut blueberry almond milk& ice smoothie. Looked like vomit, tasted pretty good. Peanut butter and apples for dinner. Cup of Tea. I felt like a bird. Very hungry but very light as well. Not like how you feel after you eat mcDonalds.
Wednesday.
The final day.
Finally.
I had an apple. More Almond milk. Small cup of Hummus with apples. Despair, waiting for midnight...AND prepping food for thanksgiving. No tasting allowed, such self control.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Social Movements
There are many social movements going on in the world. Everyone is striving for social change. From Peta to the occupy movements. One movement has really stood out. Instead of going the traditional public advocacy route and having press conferences and speeches this movement took their cause to the streets. SlutWalk is the new million woman march. Stemming from police comments about women protecting themselves from rape by dressing "appropriately" women have risen up.
SlutWalkers march down the streets with signs and chanting to raise awareness of what really causes rape: Rapists.
The signs they have created though comical are completely true. Short skirts don't invite or ensure rape, rapist do. A woman can be raped regardless of what she is wearing. Regular men don't just turn into rapist if a woman is scantily clad, there were rapist to begin with.
This is social movement that is necessary and should have started long ago. It is a often heard thought that women invite rape or that victims somehow deserve it. Do you deserve to get robbed if you have an iPhone to your ear? It is the same general concept, you are flaunting what someone wants in front of their face, so it is your fault when they take it from you, right? I think if people thought of it in that way they would see how ridiculous that idea is. When some one commits a crime it is no ones fault but the criminal.
It is a great idea to end the rape culture that exists in America where victims can be blamed and woman shamed about the sexuality they were given at birth.
http://www.alternet.org/story/152603/%27hey_rapists%2c_go_fuck_yourselves%27%3a_slutwalk_arrives_in_nyc?page=entire
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Deviance
Deviant
adj.
Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards of a society.
n.
One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.
Deviant has a very negative connotation, but truthfully it is just somebody who is different. In mainstream society there are many ways to easily deviate from the norm.
To relate devience to a current event. The people participating in Occupy Boston are deviating from socities beliefs of sleeping inside, going along with the government and listening to the police. Every protest is a deviation from the norm, so naturally people oppose it.
Many comedians use society as a backdrop for their acts. In this way they can poke fun of popular culture, critique and sometimes urge people to deviate from it. One of those comedians is Dave Chappelle. In his show "Chappelle Show" he pokes fun at different subcultures within society and by use of his humor and satire make people realize the error in their ways. I found clips about people who have deviated (regardless of if they knew it or not) from the norm assigned to them.
The first clip shows Differential Association because the character Bigsby learned to be hateful and prejudiced. It is obvious that if he was brought up a different way he would not have turned out that way. He learned to deviate from the societal norm for African-Americans. Obviously this situation is exaggerative but truthfully could happen. There are people out there who hate their own race which would deviate from society's veiw that one should love yourself and your kin.
The second clip plays upon the same topic but with the character knowing they are exactly what they hate. He says "we hate too" which shows that he is trying to fit in with the hate culture he is surrounded by. They deviate from the KKK norm and attack who they hate in a different way. It is interesting to look at this from a societal point of view because in this age being a member of a hate group like the KKK is deviating from the societal norms. These charaters then deviate from the initail deviation. So there are many way to deviate from whatever culture you deem to be your norm. It is all a matter of perspective.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Culture
Currently in the heart of downtown Boston sociology has a home. A group of people have taken up residence in a park downtown and made a tent city. Occupy Boston is the name of the event that has had people living in the streets since September 30th. They are protesting the state of the economy in Boston and the joblessness and financial strain that stems from it.
This new society that has developed basically on a street corner is not only an example of sub-American culture, but counterculture as well.
The people living in the Occupy Boston tent city are mostly homeless or jobless. They are a culture of people that differ from mainstream Americans. They live on the streets, beg for money, and sleep in shelters, some homeless people even get arrested during the winter so they have a place to sleep and three square meals a day. This is obviously very different from mainstream culture where being arrested has no positive benefits. Americans value hygiene and nice clothes, homeless people do not usually abide by these rules, whether it be by choice or not. In that way homeless culture is sub culture of american culture.
Occupy Boston is a protest. People are trying to change what they do not like about the government and society. They are going against the culture that we know by sleeping outside and by willing to be arrested, which most people aren't. It is the exact definition of counter culture it conspicuously and deliberately opposes certain aspects of the larger culture, the part of society that listens to government and does not challenge what it says. The part of society that says people should live in houses. Occupy Boston is the perfect example of sub and counter culture.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/10/12/at_occupy_boston_students_homeless_veterans_find_a_common_ground/
This new society that has developed basically on a street corner is not only an example of sub-American culture, but counterculture as well.
The people living in the Occupy Boston tent city are mostly homeless or jobless. They are a culture of people that differ from mainstream Americans. They live on the streets, beg for money, and sleep in shelters, some homeless people even get arrested during the winter so they have a place to sleep and three square meals a day. This is obviously very different from mainstream culture where being arrested has no positive benefits. Americans value hygiene and nice clothes, homeless people do not usually abide by these rules, whether it be by choice or not. In that way homeless culture is sub culture of american culture.
Occupy Boston is a protest. People are trying to change what they do not like about the government and society. They are going against the culture that we know by sleeping outside and by willing to be arrested, which most people aren't. It is the exact definition of counter culture it conspicuously and deliberately opposes certain aspects of the larger culture, the part of society that listens to government and does not challenge what it says. The part of society that says people should live in houses. Occupy Boston is the perfect example of sub and counter culture.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/10/12/at_occupy_boston_students_homeless_veterans_find_a_common_ground/
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Socialization!!!
The hardest part about writing about socialization is realising it is happening, because we are so used to it. Even harder is finding an article that you can see the socialization occurring in. The article I found is about a new app called Blendr that is a "straight" version of the app Grindr that appeals to homosexual men trying to find a hookup while at the club. The makers of Grindr sought to make an app that would be available for straight people as well, but for some reason instead of marketing it for hookups made it for friendships. The article cites critics of the new app and well as people like the author who believe it can be beneficial.
The socialization I see in this article represents peer on peer socialization. It also represents how antisocial the world has become. The comments against the use of a friendship app shows that we are socialized by our peers to think it is weird to meet new people or find out if your "elderly neighbor could be the newest member of [your] book club." People think finding friends is "boring".
We are socialized to be anti-social. The author on the other hand believes that we can change, he want to socialize hetero sexual people to be nicer, and more open. He believes anyone can find true love, at the touch of a button. You just have to be social enough.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2011/09/30/the-gay-app-that-veered-straight/w5QkNfLuJrF3CDcuoh2zNO/story.xml
Sunday, September 18, 2011
MEDIA!
What is the media's obsession with "star-lets"? Actually, it's the public's obsession with them that drives the media coverage. Arguably the most popular figure in pop culture drama is Lindsay Lohan. Long gone are the days of "The Parent Trap" and the cute little actress comparable to Dakota Fanning. Now we are bombarded with news of her court cases, drunken exposures, and other shenanigans. Recently I read on the huffingtonpost.com about her tantrum at a Black and White ball hosted by V Magazine. She threw a glass at a photographer, (which reminds me of the "Straight Talk Feeling Richer" commercials http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoIIQzZyEss) and sucker punched another guest. So what is it about her drama story that America can't get enough? Usually drug addict biographies are sob stories, or horror stories, but when Lindsay does it its entertainment!
This leads one to question society. What kind of community or country values the drunken raves of a 25 year old?
Socialization is one function of the media, it teaches us how to act and interact with others in society. Lindsay Lohan and all the positive reinforcement she receives due to her antics shows us that behaving badly is not only good but can make you famous. Shows like basketball wives and the bad girls club reinforces this new trend of bad behavior as a positive attributes. The media socializes little girls to believe if they can yell, fight, or curse they can be popular and praised.
Unfortunately American society and the media have a positive feedback loop, so we can't just say it's the media's fault because the media only shows us what we want to see. So everyone who clicks on a "Lindsay Lohan drunk" link (like I did) feeds into this new societal norm. But to fit into society is to like these stories feed into them and want more. Bad Girls Club is interesting! So remember to play well with your friends, socialize and punch people in the face, soon this will be the American Way. You might even get a TV show.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/lindsay-lohan-throws-a-glass-at-photographer-hits-cocktail-waitress-instead-at-fashion-week-party_n_966010.html
This leads one to question society. What kind of community or country values the drunken raves of a 25 year old?
Socialization is one function of the media, it teaches us how to act and interact with others in society. Lindsay Lohan and all the positive reinforcement she receives due to her antics shows us that behaving badly is not only good but can make you famous. Shows like basketball wives and the bad girls club reinforces this new trend of bad behavior as a positive attributes. The media socializes little girls to believe if they can yell, fight, or curse they can be popular and praised.
Unfortunately American society and the media have a positive feedback loop, so we can't just say it's the media's fault because the media only shows us what we want to see. So everyone who clicks on a "Lindsay Lohan drunk" link (like I did) feeds into this new societal norm. But to fit into society is to like these stories feed into them and want more. Bad Girls Club is interesting! So remember to play well with your friends, socialize and punch people in the face, soon this will be the American Way. You might even get a TV show.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/lindsay-lohan-throws-a-glass-at-photographer-hits-cocktail-waitress-instead-at-fashion-week-party_n_966010.html
Friday, September 16, 2011
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