My sex is male, and I identify as a male. With that being said, my entire life I have been seen as a male. I was never wimpy, and scrawny; thus being seen as somewhat manly. When I was in primary school, I was ridiculed for playing a specific game. It was at some sort of info night, and I brought my GameBoy to keep me entertained. My friend walked over and noticed what game I was playing; some sort of Dora the explorer game. He then announced that I was playing a “girls” game, and I received some ridicule from my fellow peers. I don’t exactly remember what they said, but it was most likely offensive homophobic/feminine names. After that altercation, I went home and stopped playing the game. It wasn’t my favorite game, but I enjoyed it; up to that point. After that day I never played it again, and I may never will.

5/10/2019

The first Grand Theory I will be discussing is Structural-Strain theory. Structural-Strain theory indication the label/name someone gets depending on the good they are acquiring and the method. When looking at drugs it depends on what type being looked at. For example, you get over the counter or prescription drugs to help with medical ailments like headaches or seizures. Going on the accusation of regularly paying for them, this theory would see that as being obedient. In the same circumstance with illegal drugs like heroine, this theory would see that as being ritualistic deviant. The goods are rejected by society, but the Methodist acquiring them is socially accepted. The second theory is I will discuss will be the Labeling Theory. According to the Labeling theory, a person will commit a second deviant action when given a deviant type label. In the case of drugs, someone who is found out will be called a druggy. Given the “druggy” label will only promote drug use, they would have the mentality of “I’n already using it, why not more or worse drugs”. When given a label of any kind, that label can give the recipient the mentality of why not do more or worse because I’m already seen as it.

5/10/2019

This chapter is about the history and evolution of the American family. Back in the early to mid 1800’s, people were worried about the future of the American Family. Divorce rates were high, tons of non-English speaking immigrants came in, and child/domestic abuse was high. Things did improve for family, but we saw multiple changes that led to the American Family of today. In borders America people will say how families are worse than they were in the 1950’s. Back in the 1950’s family were seen as very stable, dad works while the mom raise the kids. Initially, the period was seen as a good time for families, but other negative aspects were ignored. There were higher teen births, high divorce rate, kids getting into trouble more, and racial/gender bias with politics. When comparing the times, the current American families have a better standing the those of that era. The history of the American family starts off with dual family income, and some drugs and child/domestic abuse. Later on, the wives stop working, and the number of children workers skyrockets. Eventually, laws prohibiting children below a certain are passed, and wives start working. Eventually domestic/child abuse rates drop, more people live longer life’s, and fathers become more active in childcare. At the same time, parents have to decide about care for both child and parent(s). People see modern American families as worse, but in actuality, they are way better than before. We may have high divorce rates, but we have people living longer, and less teen births.

5/10/2019

This chapter is about how children are taught how to fill the student role. The student role is a position in which students must behave a certain way, and have a certain attitude. Teaching of how to partake in the student role is taught as early as kindergarten. A child is taught by learning how to blindly follow obedience, follow preset rules, and overall behave in a classroom setting. The student role teaches children not only how to socialize with other, but how to play their part in society. In the book there was a observation about the daily routine of a kindergarten class mentioned. The classroom was divided into section for specific activities, like a painting station, teacher area, milk drinking area, etc. the students would come in and perform actions instructed by the teacher at specific times. For example, the children may have show and tell at 12:15, or have milk time at 1:30. The class activities and the times set for them are determined by the teacher. This routine helps the children adopt the ability to blindly follow instructions in a timely fashion. The children will find ways around the rules set by the teacher. For example, you are not suppose to talk when it’s story time, but students may quietly whisper to people next to them. The teacher will ignore little acts like these, encouraging the students to bend the rules.

5/10/2019

This chapter is about how police see their own brutality. Violent actions taken by police are categorized into three categories; Legal, Normal, and Excessive. Legal force is the action taken in special circumstances, like a cop returning fire when being shot. Normal force is the everyday violent actions a office will take, like giving a rude drunk a punch or two. Excessive force is the action taken that was not needed, an example would be shooting an unarmed civilian. Depending on the circumstance, the action will be categorized under those three categories. If a police officer doesn’t take part in non-textbook violence, they will be isolated. Normally veterans will see that officer as an untrustworthy partner that freezes up. The veterans will allow for a second chance, but it’s much harder on female officers. If a female officer doesn’t take part in non-textbook violence, then they are seen as weak, vulnerable, and/or too emotional. This gender bias causes female cops to become even more aggressive than their male counterparts. Officers in general will use two methods to deem their violent actions as ok; excuses and justifications. Using an excuses is a way for them to not take full responsibility, but to recognize their actions as blame worthy. For example, a cop was told that someone attempted to shot another person. The officer went with the victim to find the perpetrator; they eventually found him in the street. One of the officers was to jump out of the car and tackle the perpetrator to the ground. The perpetrator disposed of his weapon before being found out; the perpetrator reached for their back pocket at the time. Before firing off any shots the perpetrator was apprehended, the perpetrator was punched and kicked out of frustration from the officer who almost shot. Justification is when an officer takes full responsibility but deems the action as non-blame worthy. Justifiable actions occur when the officer’s authority is either physically or symbolically challenged. For example, a new inmate punched an officer in the face, the officer retaliated with a punch to the jaw. Surrounding officer went over and brutally ganged up on the outnumbered inmate. There’s also a hidden form of justification known as abstract justification. Abstract justification is when lethal force is not needed to regain control, but appropriate towards a heinous offender. For example, a officer visited a home and was met with an hysterical woman. The officer went past the woman to see a father forcing their child to sit on top of the stove while it was on. This was supposedly a method to potty train the two year old child. The officer immediately threw the father to the ground and started brutally beating him. The officer lost count of how many times he had beaten the father, and didn’t stop until told by another officer.

5/10/2019

What determines a person insane or sane? The guidelines used by professionals are very inaccurate. Depending on your culture there will be different guidelines use to determine sanity. There was a study done between the 1950’s and the 1960’s where they sent sane people into institutions. The “patients” would report that they were hearing voices, making it seems has if they are subconsciously thinking themselves as failures. Once admitted they were instructed to act like they were suddenly cured. They were deemed as having some sort of mental illness and their behavior was ignored based on that. When showing signs of normality, the nurses saw it as having to do with their illness. There was another student done after this, a hospital was informed about sane people trying to get admitted. The result was the misdiagnosis of mental patients. The mental health field is based on beliefs of what is normal. The truth is that we are all sane and insane at the same time. We may show signs of being agree for no apparent reason; at the same time we show signs of being normal.

5/8/2019

This chapter is about the problems with and within prison. A prison is suppose to be a place where someone who is deemed as a “criminal” goes for rehabilitation. The problem is within the prison, where prisoners are abused. What happens is that the guards will establish their own rules along with the state’s. They create bazaar and unusual punishments like defecating on the floor. The reason the guards abuse prisoners is that they themselves are oppressed. Normally in life you are oppressed in someway;from a parental figure to a boss. Psychologists believe that oppressed guards let out their frustrations on the prisoners. To fix the prisons you will need to properly train the guards, change the rehabilitation method, and change the attitude toward prison. The prisoners will also need someone not tied to the prison to observer and report any misconduct from the guards. The prisoners need a way to be rehabilitated back into society; potentially given a job. People see ex-convicts as animals that need to be relocated up. If the elite started seeing them as human again, the lower classes will follow. I can’t remember the show, but the show has real innocent people go into prison for 39 days. They do so to see how the prison turkey is on the inside.

4/6/2019

I want to get married, but I never really thought about it. I don’t have some big wedding planned out in my mind. I don’t remember when I started wanting to get married, but I was at least a young child. For my wedding, I prefer s traditional Christian wedding seen on tv. My wedding would be kinda bland, at best maybe doves flying when we leave the church. What’s interesting is how I am not Christian, I am agnostic. The reason for me wanting a Christian wedding is because it’s displayed through all kinds of media. I grew up watching cartoons/ tv shows were people had that kind of wedding. My dream wedding is still align with the romantic symbolism present in Christian weddings. The only thing wrong with my dream wedding is the reproduction of heteronormativity. I always wanted to the thing where the husband carries the wife into the house after their honeymoon. I have seen it portrayed in show, and thought it was a cute thing to do.

5/1/2019

While driving down march lane I notice someone acting weird. It was a potentially homeless man balancing a bike on top of his head. The only social norm that I can think of that he violated would be the bike norm. The bike norm is how you would properly use the bike; riding it instead of balancing it. I knew the norm was there since you are taught that a bike is not an accessory. The only situation I can think of where this behavior would be normal would be if he was homeless. The man on march lane seems to be homeless due to his dirty appearance and worn out clothes. The only situation that comes to mind where I would do this would be if I was homeless. Balancing a bike on top of ur head seems to be a very difficult thing to do. The only problem is that Stockton isn’t know to house a lot of street performers. In that case, the revenue earned may be very small. Adding a label just made me feel sad for this man; he’s doing this in hot weather as well.

4/26/2019

I went on the IMDb website to view an article title “100 most beautiful people on the planet”. After viewing the list, I notice that mass majority are some form of white. The listing seemed to be down in a male-to-female order. There were very few non-white people listed, mostly being of African decent. There seemed to be only one person who was neither white or African American. I believe them to be of native Hawaiian or Native American decent, there were not fat people. Every on there were people known to be in decent to good shape and most were fairly young.

4/24/2019