A "Class in Itself"

When I think of social stratification the first thought that comes to mind is education vs. work experience and parental social class. Growing up my parents would have been considered working class. My mother graduated high school but never went to college and my father only has a sixth grade education.  When his father died at a young age, he had to work to help take care of the family, which was common for many.  All social classes falling under the upper middle class rarely considered continuing education an option, even if they somehow finished high school, partly because of social class division.  They were skilled workers who worked to make ends meet and gained various skill sets which in past time qualified them for a good paying job.  I think many would agree that experience is the best teacher but in today's social stratification set, it’s no longer sufficient for the position.  There was a time not so long ago when a college degree, though beneficial, didn’t stand between you and the job. If an individual possessed the know-how and experience for the position then it was at least obtainable.  I’ve always been a proponent of education.  My parents desired for their children to accomplish what they couldn’t.  I was the first out of seven children to graduate from high but didn’t attend college until my early thirty earning a bachelors degree. Now, I’m returning to school to earn a second degree; while having worked in my field for over 17 years, with the experience required for high paying positions but without the credentials to satisfy the education requirement.   As stated in the text, “education is one of the strongest predictors of occupation, income, and wealth later in life, a "class in itself."

Technology Isolation

Modern technology has lead to some form of isolation and will have future effects.  There were in past years where people would visit family and friends in person not just on face book or web cam.  Now with cell phones, email, web cam, video games etc., the ways of communication have changed. There are fewer children going outside to play, are less active and some children have difficulty focusing, experiencing learning difficulties because of prolonged exposure to video games.  Also, some adults are living a sedentary life, all contributing to obesity. Now the older generation who are not technology savvy may still follow those earlier norms.  This is not to say that technology is bad; it's the usage that poses the problem.  There are benefits. It's convenient and it allows communication in ways we could have never imaged, but it can never replace normal human socialization.

Shaming As Punishment

Introduction to sociology text reflects two types of shaming as punishment; reintegrative and stigmatizing.  Reintegrative promotes integration back into the community with the assistance of family, friends and coworkers, however stigmatizing, labels the offender as a threat to society where the offender is treated as an outcast.  I believe stigmatizing can have disastrous affects, but it may be necessary, given the offender's history.  Stigmatizing is a natural response to criminal behavior.  I'm sure, treating someone as an outcast will most definitely lead to repeat criminal activity.  When you're treated indifferent especially in cases like these, obtaining a job is almost impossible.  Without the means to care for him/herself or family, it's likely that the offender will eventually return to criminal activity. Reintegration is probably the best way to help an offender rebuild.  It invokes accountability.  There are some offenders who may not benefit from reintegration depending on their willingness to comply with requirements.  The deciding factor is a matter of evaluating the seriousness of the crime, the willingness of the offender and the assistance of family, friends and community during in the process. 

The Nature/Nurture Factor

Both factors influence human behavior.  In my opinion the larger influence is nurture. Though humans have the ability to make consciousness choices, our environment will almost always influence those choices. As one writer states "we are like coloring books, with certain lines pre-disposed and experience filling in our picture (Douglas Kenrick, Psychology, 2010). Our genes dictate our overall soft structure and experience mold it.

What's wrong with American music?

Hugh Laurie mimics American music and the artist who perform songs with meaningless lyrics.  The audience laughes at how Laurie depicts American music. Notice the dramatization in the performance.  That's exactly what he ridicules; performances with no substance; lyric with no purpose/meaning. America loves entertainment.  The music industry creates what sells, never mind the influence, however there are some great artists and musicians out there.  All American music is not a display of a lack of talent.  I don't entirely agree with the depiction but the video was hilarious.