“In 1967, only 4% of Americans approved of interracial marriage, yet the Supreme Court dismissed the desire of 96% of Americans who did not support it in order to preserve the rights of the minority.”
― Kathy Baldock,
The United States has had a long history of enslavement and discrimination based on race. The founders and other leaders of the country broke treaty after treaty with the Native American Tribes. Slavery was outlawed with the end of the civil war, but it has only been XXX years since the Civil Rights Movement made substantial strides in meeting its goals.Since anti-discrimination laws have passed relationships between different races have become easier (in most places). The best way to measure these mending relationships is through marriage.
Marriage is one of the most declarative things people can do. It is stating that two people that accept each other and are willing to overcome future obstacles as a team. It is an enormous commitment that people do not go into without loving and trusting each other, and the social changes in society show that the number of interracial marriages is on the rise. The rate of these marriages is higher with some races than others, but all have occurred in the United States.
Completely eliminating racism from a society is not possible. There are always people who will make a bigger deal about race than it should be, but by learning about other cultures and experiencing a different world view, through friends or family, is the best way to combat the racism that we encounter everyday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/interracial-dating-teens-_n_1406967.html
Video about the generational gap in opinions about interracial dating
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Lavish Living
“Pleasure was the color of the time.”
― Harold Clurman
The 1920's in America are characterized by an economic boom after the conclusion of the first World War. The boom caused an increase in money held by Americans which in turn increased demand for items previously considered luxurious. Advertising finds new prominence in mass media and is able to spread mass consumerism to places that were previously untouched. As items were previously considered a luxury become commonplace, the wealthy need new ways to show their dominance in their society. In the Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald shows the over-the-top lengths the rich resort to in order to retain and add to their prominence in society,
Nick observes a "corp of caterers" (40) emerging from Gatsby's house carrying the most lavish dishes imaginable around the house and yard. The house itself is "gaudy" (40) with obvious, ornate showings of wealth that attract people from all walks of life. East and Westsiders alike mingle and take part in the excessive celebrations hosted by Gatsby. The host himself is described as a "character" who watches his guest from a distance. He sees them enjoying his food and alcohol and admiring the fantastic surroundings without interaction. Gatsby enjoys the fame and admiration that comes with hosting lavish parties, yet he chooses to miss many of the opportunities and connections for further social advancement that his guest could provide him. His focus is seemingly on impressing his guests and encouraging the spread of rumors about himself to spread his influence in a more unconventional way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ8Kq1wucsk
― Harold Clurman
The 1920's in America are characterized by an economic boom after the conclusion of the first World War. The boom caused an increase in money held by Americans which in turn increased demand for items previously considered luxurious. Advertising finds new prominence in mass media and is able to spread mass consumerism to places that were previously untouched. As items were previously considered a luxury become commonplace, the wealthy need new ways to show their dominance in their society. In the Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald shows the over-the-top lengths the rich resort to in order to retain and add to their prominence in society,
Nick observes a "corp of caterers" (40) emerging from Gatsby's house carrying the most lavish dishes imaginable around the house and yard. The house itself is "gaudy" (40) with obvious, ornate showings of wealth that attract people from all walks of life. East and Westsiders alike mingle and take part in the excessive celebrations hosted by Gatsby. The host himself is described as a "character" who watches his guest from a distance. He sees them enjoying his food and alcohol and admiring the fantastic surroundings without interaction. Gatsby enjoys the fame and admiration that comes with hosting lavish parties, yet he chooses to miss many of the opportunities and connections for further social advancement that his guest could provide him. His focus is seemingly on impressing his guests and encouraging the spread of rumors about himself to spread his influence in a more unconventional way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ8Kq1wucsk
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Pro Punctuation
"I believe that every English poet should read the English classics, master the rules of grammar before he attempts to bend or break them, "- Robert Graves
Punctuation is the backbone of English, recognized worldwide as the "international language". A consistent set of rules in grammar allows many people, even those learning English, to have a solid base of understanding that grants them further opportunity to push themselves to becoming more proficient in their knowledge.
In the age of mass media that reaches an international audience, Twitter reigns supreme in supposed
conciseness. With the limited number of characters many people claim that less grammar is needed to get their point across and many of the millions of tweets made every day continue with the disregard of punctuation. Amanda Cosco from Social Times says that these tweets are only "thoughts" (Source F) that can be conveyed in 140 characters or less. The few "thoughts" that make use of the limited space by using punctuation become elevated, expressing more with less.
Even though we disregard many grammar rules when speaking in everyday life, punctuation is still what defines us and our relationships. America has a very casual approach to speaking, but this makes the distinction between formal and normal speech and writing much wider. What makes the difference between a skilled speaker/writer and an amateur is how the punctuation is utilized in piece. In Notes on Punctuation (SourceD), author Lewis Thomas's use of many types of punctuation makes his writing appear to be at a more accomplished level than what many people commonly see. He also uses the punctuation to convey the importance of itself in the things we read all the time.
Punctuation is the backbone of English, recognized worldwide as the "international language". A consistent set of rules in grammar allows many people, even those learning English, to have a solid base of understanding that grants them further opportunity to push themselves to becoming more proficient in their knowledge.
In the age of mass media that reaches an international audience, Twitter reigns supreme in supposed
conciseness. With the limited number of characters many people claim that less grammar is needed to get their point across and many of the millions of tweets made every day continue with the disregard of punctuation. Amanda Cosco from Social Times says that these tweets are only "thoughts" (Source F) that can be conveyed in 140 characters or less. The few "thoughts" that make use of the limited space by using punctuation become elevated, expressing more with less.
Even though we disregard many grammar rules when speaking in everyday life, punctuation is still what defines us and our relationships. America has a very casual approach to speaking, but this makes the distinction between formal and normal speech and writing much wider. What makes the difference between a skilled speaker/writer and an amateur is how the punctuation is utilized in piece. In Notes on Punctuation (SourceD), author Lewis Thomas's use of many types of punctuation makes his writing appear to be at a more accomplished level than what many people commonly see. He also uses the punctuation to convey the importance of itself in the things we read all the time.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
The Bluest Eye: Beautiful Passage
“They seemed to have taken all of their smoothly cultivated ignorance, their exquisitely learned self-hatred, their elaborately designed hopelessness and sucked it all up into a fiery cone of scorn that had burned for ages in the hollows of their minds― cooled ―and spilled over lips of outrage, consuming whatever was in its path.”
― Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye (65)
Pecola herself learned to hate herself through the harsh words or her mother and people that surrounded her. She saw proof in what they told her in the preferred adoption of white beauty standards by all people in society. Her early
education of her worthlessness to society was by no means unique. All members of her community have experienced it before and each has his/her own way of dealing with it. The older married couples can take out their frustrations on each other while the children are left to deal with it by themselves or with their friends. The group of boys who team up to torment Pecola do so with the knowledge that the people in the lowest community (them) still have the power to ridicule the members who are lower than them The hopelessness of their prospects to escape their place in society causes anger that they can only take out on an outcast. They harm her in any way that they can in their effort to regain some semblance of control in their lives, lives that are controlled through the prejudices and old laws of the white dominated society. The description of the all consuming hatred felt by the boys shows the inevitability of their own abuse to other in society. It also shows how the self loathing brainwashes the children since before birth.
― Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye (65)
Pecola herself learned to hate herself through the harsh words or her mother and people that surrounded her. She saw proof in what they told her in the preferred adoption of white beauty standards by all people in society. Her early
education of her worthlessness to society was by no means unique. All members of her community have experienced it before and each has his/her own way of dealing with it. The older married couples can take out their frustrations on each other while the children are left to deal with it by themselves or with their friends. The group of boys who team up to torment Pecola do so with the knowledge that the people in the lowest community (them) still have the power to ridicule the members who are lower than them The hopelessness of their prospects to escape their place in society causes anger that they can only take out on an outcast. They harm her in any way that they can in their effort to regain some semblance of control in their lives, lives that are controlled through the prejudices and old laws of the white dominated society. The description of the all consuming hatred felt by the boys shows the inevitability of their own abuse to other in society. It also shows how the self loathing brainwashes the children since before birth.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Dark Girls
"The United States is unusual among the industrial democracies in the rigidity of the system of ideological control - 'indoctrination,' we might say - exercised through the mass media."
We are always told that differences make us stronger, more unique. They are what makes an individual an individual. Despite this we are grouped by these differences. Interests and abilities are used in school but appearance is more commonly used in normal encounters. One of the most prominent perpetrators of widespread stereotypes is the media.
As the world shrunk with the discovery and exploration of new lands, the Europeans who conquered the new places established their dominance as ruling power. Their places at the top of the hierarchy spread new ideologies including the white beauty standards that were popular in their home continent.
The conquerors may have spread the new beliefs to other countries, but mass media has allowed beauty standards to circulate the globe with speed and effect never thought possible. The documentary "Dark Girls" explores "...the roots of classism, racism, and the lack of self esteem..." that is experienced by dark skinned women and men today. In one scene there was mention of women (with dark skin) in a developing country that wanted to have a skin whitening treatment to undergo the transformation that Michael Jackson experienced. In a third world country, women saw that a person of color, like them, who changed skin color as he was met with success. To them, this was their idol succumbing to white beauty standards.
As the world shrunk with the discovery and exploration of new lands, the Europeans who conquered the new places established their dominance as ruling power. Their places at the top of the hierarchy spread new ideologies including the white beauty standards that were popular in their home continent.
The conquerors may have spread the new beliefs to other countries, but mass media has allowed beauty standards to circulate the globe with speed and effect never thought possible. The documentary "Dark Girls" explores "...the roots of classism, racism, and the lack of self esteem..." that is experienced by dark skinned women and men today. In one scene there was mention of women (with dark skin) in a developing country that wanted to have a skin whitening treatment to undergo the transformation that Michael Jackson experienced. In a third world country, women saw that a person of color, like them, who changed skin color as he was met with success. To them, this was their idol succumbing to white beauty standards.
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Sources
"Dark Girls" Directed by D. Channisin Berry, Bill Duke
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