Overall Class
REFLECTION
Looking back at my goals I believe I have tried my best to accomplish most of them. I said that I had to work on staying organized and not missing due sates and although I may have missed a couple, I did my best not to miss most. Ive found that keeping a physical calendar is very helpful. I printed one out and hung it on my wall. I used colorful pends and highlighters to write down all of my assignments and responsibilities. This really helped me have a mental checklist of what I had to do each day. I found that this works for me much better than a digital calendar. My second goal was to keep my grades up which I can proudly say I have been doing.
This course taught me how to be organized with my assignments. It also taught me to be aware of my surroundings and think deeply instead of just letting things fly by. I also learned how to think with a sociological perspective. I apply terms and concepts from this class to my everyday life.
My reading comprehension has also been given a boost due to this class. Sometimes I would read chapters and not understand a single concept. I found that reading a paragraph or two and stopping to make sure I understood really helped. Its better to take your time to understand the material than to just speed through it. Overall I really enjoyed the material and structure of this class. I though an online course would be much more confusing and difficult to keep up with.
This course taught me how to be organized with my assignments. It also taught me to be aware of my surroundings and think deeply instead of just letting things fly by. I also learned how to think with a sociological perspective. I apply terms and concepts from this class to my everyday life.
My reading comprehension has also been given a boost due to this class. Sometimes I would read chapters and not understand a single concept. I found that reading a paragraph or two and stopping to make sure I understood really helped. Its better to take your time to understand the material than to just speed through it. Overall I really enjoyed the material and structure of this class. I though an online course would be much more confusing and difficult to keep up with.
PROJECT 1
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The film analysis we did in this class really stuck with me. I enjoyed searching for a video that would fit the assignment. At first it seemed hard, I was searching for a video that I really liked and couldn't seem to find one. When I finally found “MAN” by Steve Cutts, everything just fell into place. With this assignment, I really learned how to analyze a video with a sociological perspective. This assignment will help me dig deeper and identify different terms in videos for future assignments. I was a bit stressed doing this assignment on the last day so for future assignments I will try to give myself more time. Aside from organization, this project helped me understand what I was learning in the class on another level. Within the video I was able to analyze the views of Emile Durkheim, Auguste Comte and Karl Marx. Emile Durkheim, a french sociologist focused on the relationships people had with each other. German Sociologist Karl Marx focused on the way possession of resources affected society. The founder of positivism, Auguste Comte, believed that if the science of society was understood then it would be easier to use that information to steer toward a better society.
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Video Analysis |
Project 1: DVD Video Analysis
In the capitalistic world we live in today it is no secret that power is all that matters. Humans being on the top of the food chain, find a way to destroy every resource they come across. In the video “MAN” created by Steve Cutts, the producer takes you on a journey with the average looking man as he walks through the world destroying Earth as we know it. He starts by stepping on and killing a lady bug for no apparent reason, picking up two snakes and using them as boots and goes on to killing every animal to cross paths with him. The character never seems to feel bad for killing the innocent creatures for his own pleasure. He smiles throughout the video wearing a shirt that says “welcome” and never seems to mind his beer belly. In the end of the video Man seems to be the only organism left as he sits on his throne which rests upon an unnecessary amount of produced goods. The video ends with a little humor as man is stepped on by aliens and left on his planet with the only visible thing being his shirt which reads “welcome.” The reason this video stood out was because it directly displays how those with power control and sometimes destroy those without power. This doesn't just mean the relationship with man and other animals, but also man with power and a man without power. A man without power is not anymore than the animals in this video. Emile Durkheim, a french sociologist focused on the relationships people had with each other. He was fascinated by finding meaning in peoples lives through the relationships they held with those around them. He did this by studying suicide and found that those who are more interdependent and interconnected with people are less likely to commit suicide. The sociologist feared anomie - the loss of direction in a society when control of individual behavior is not effective. Durkheim was also a firm believer in functionalism - the belief that society works together, like a factory, for the greater good. Durkheim would argue that animals do good for people just as people do for them. He would say that the process displayed in the video is just a part of the circle of life and that without it we would not be able to live. He may even argue that animals are created for human use. In the video there is a constant cycle of Man killing animals and in the end it leads to destruction of Earth’s natural resources. This system that Durkheim is so fond of may not be for the greater good of the planet but to satisfy those in power. The founder of positivism, Auguste Comte, believed that if the science of society was understood then it would be easier to use that information to steer toward a better society. This led Comte to coin the term “sociology.” Comte focused on two laws; social statics and social dynamics. Social statics is the principle of how social order and society overall are maintained. Social dynamics are the factors that cause and direct change. Social statics studies laws that affect our society so for example the law in this video can be that those who possess more power control those who are less than them. The outcome of this law according to the video is that those that were less than Man died. Comte would try to find a solution, something that would not allow Man to simply do as he pleases. German Sociologist Karl Marx focused on the way possession of resources affected society. In the video Man is seen killing off animals for food, resources and for just plain pleasure. Some would argue that this is unfair but Marx would not. He would credit humans on the fact that they are simply able to make resources out of raw materials. He believed that this skill is what set humans apart from animals. He would not argue that humans and animals should both have a right to live happy lives. In the case of the working class and the ruling class, Marx argued that the working class only have the ability to make goods but the ruling class has the ability to access resources to produce the goods. This is what put the ruling class (being Man) above the working class (being the animals). Marx was also concerned with alienation- the sense of being used or controlled in a capitalist economy, losing control of our human capacity to produce. This video goes along with the conflict perspective which is based on power in society. Simply put, those who have power, money or resources rule over everyone else. In the video Man is smarter and has more resources than the animals therefore he is able to kill them and use them for his own good. This can also apply to the concept of the rich and poor. The average man may be able to pick twelve coconuts off of trees a day but as soon as the local market opens up, the man loses his business because the market has the money, power and resources to have coconuts available at any time. This is how big corporations take money away from the working class. The marijuana industry is also a great example of this. Men and women risk getting caught on a daily basis to distribute marijuana for recreational use. As soon as recreational use of marijuana becomes legal, all of these hard working men and women will lose their jobs that they worked so hard for because rich and powerful men in suits will take over the business, mass produce the marijuana and sell it for half the price. YouTube Video “MAN” published by Steve Cutts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU |
PROJECT 2 Reflection
I really enjoyed doing the Project 2: Institutions Analysis powerpoint. I chose to do my power
point on The American Education System. I focused my slides on early education and how it
effects people in the future. At first I thought this project would be a bit difficult as I had not
done any research yet, but when I got into the research it became very interesting. I began by
inserting a video which described the history of education from early time till today. I went on
my dividing the topic of education to formal and informal education. I gave brief descriptions of
the major participants in the American Education System. One of the slides focused deeply on
how education effects early child development. I feel this assignment helped me develop my
research skills. I found websites which helped me find reliable sources for my research. I also
learned how to narrow down my research topic to make my project more interesting. Instead of
just focusing on education, I focused on The American Education System and narrowed it further
down to early education. I think I need to work harder on creating outlines before I start my
projects. I believe that this would make it much easier on me in the long run. I find that I come to
a point where I have a bunch of research but I don't know what to do with it. For my next
assignment I will work harder on creating a plan beforehand and staying organized. I will try to
write down my sources on paper and write why I chose to pull this source instead of just
bookmarking it on my computer. Outside of this class, I will try to find sources all around me
instead of just looking online. I believe that there are so many different places we can get our
sources from instead of just Google.
I really enjoyed doing the Project 2: Institutions Analysis powerpoint. I chose to do my power
point on The American Education System. I focused my slides on early education and how it
effects people in the future. At first I thought this project would be a bit difficult as I had not
done any research yet, but when I got into the research it became very interesting. I began by
inserting a video which described the history of education from early time till today. I went on
my dividing the topic of education to formal and informal education. I gave brief descriptions of
the major participants in the American Education System. One of the slides focused deeply on
how education effects early child development. I feel this assignment helped me develop my
research skills. I found websites which helped me find reliable sources for my research. I also
learned how to narrow down my research topic to make my project more interesting. Instead of
just focusing on education, I focused on The American Education System and narrowed it further
down to early education. I think I need to work harder on creating outlines before I start my
projects. I believe that this would make it much easier on me in the long run. I find that I come to
a point where I have a bunch of research but I don't know what to do with it. For my next
assignment I will work harder on creating a plan beforehand and staying organized. I will try to
write down my sources on paper and write why I chose to pull this source instead of just
bookmarking it on my computer. Outside of this class, I will try to find sources all around me
instead of just looking online. I believe that there are so many different places we can get our
sources from instead of just Google.
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Delancey Street
REFLECTION
The Delancey Street video reflection was definitely the most eye opening. The video made em see Americas prison system in a new light, I never know a place like that existed. It is such a great alternative to prisons in America which tend to be over crowded. Delancey Street taught me the importance of second chances. Prisoners that have done horrible things can learn from their mistakes, start positive lives and find their purpose in the world. Everybody makes mistakes and although some peoples mistakes may be more severe, they still deserve second chances. The video really gave me hope for a better future, I believe that there is so much we can improve but we tend to see situations with only one side. This discussion post along with project one taught me to analyze videos with a sociological perspective. As I mentioned in my discussion post, seeing people with their similar past motivates them to become productive and get past their previous habits. I am very fond of the idea of having foundations such as Delaney Street in modern day society. In future assignments I will try to see people’s full potentials instead of judging them from their past.
REFLECTION
The Delancey Street video reflection was definitely the most eye opening. The video made em see Americas prison system in a new light, I never know a place like that existed. It is such a great alternative to prisons in America which tend to be over crowded. Delancey Street taught me the importance of second chances. Prisoners that have done horrible things can learn from their mistakes, start positive lives and find their purpose in the world. Everybody makes mistakes and although some peoples mistakes may be more severe, they still deserve second chances. The video really gave me hope for a better future, I believe that there is so much we can improve but we tend to see situations with only one side. This discussion post along with project one taught me to analyze videos with a sociological perspective. As I mentioned in my discussion post, seeing people with their similar past motivates them to become productive and get past their previous habits. I am very fond of the idea of having foundations such as Delaney Street in modern day society. In future assignments I will try to see people’s full potentials instead of judging them from their past.
Delancey Street Discussion
In America, felons have a very limited amount of jobs that they have a chance of qualifying for. Most employment requires job seekers to have a clear criminal record and at least a high school diploma. In the twenty first century, homeowners do back round checks for potential renters and tend to turn away criminals. Delaney Street gives criminals a chance at a better life. Based in San Francisco California, the foundation allows felons to live normal lives by living in a community with people just like them. Living in a community with people who relate to them eliminates critical judgment they would receive by model citizens in the real world. Regular jobs are given to the community members like accounting jobs, barista positions and mechanic positions. The point of this foundation is to give these people a second shot at a better life. It gives the citizens confidence knowing that they are more than their past.
People learn from what they see at a very early age. For example if a child is exposed to constant fighting in their home at an early age, they may become aggressive later on in life thinking that this is the norm. The same concept applies to the people living in Delaney Street, they see people just like them being productive in their everyday lives and strive to do the same. Seeing people with their similar past motivates them to become productive and get past their previous habits. I am very fond of the idea of having foundations such as Delaney Street in modern day society. I believe that this can really revolutionize the way criminals are seen in the public eye. Delaney Street seems like a flawless way to give people who may have made a mistake in a bad time in their lives a second chance at happiness and freedom.
In America, felons have a very limited amount of jobs that they have a chance of qualifying for. Most employment requires job seekers to have a clear criminal record and at least a high school diploma. In the twenty first century, homeowners do back round checks for potential renters and tend to turn away criminals. Delaney Street gives criminals a chance at a better life. Based in San Francisco California, the foundation allows felons to live normal lives by living in a community with people just like them. Living in a community with people who relate to them eliminates critical judgment they would receive by model citizens in the real world. Regular jobs are given to the community members like accounting jobs, barista positions and mechanic positions. The point of this foundation is to give these people a second shot at a better life. It gives the citizens confidence knowing that they are more than their past.
People learn from what they see at a very early age. For example if a child is exposed to constant fighting in their home at an early age, they may become aggressive later on in life thinking that this is the norm. The same concept applies to the people living in Delaney Street, they see people just like them being productive in their everyday lives and strive to do the same. Seeing people with their similar past motivates them to become productive and get past their previous habits. I am very fond of the idea of having foundations such as Delaney Street in modern day society. I believe that this can really revolutionize the way criminals are seen in the public eye. Delaney Street seems like a flawless way to give people who may have made a mistake in a bad time in their lives a second chance at happiness and freedom.