Week 5

Mass Media

For starters I was on Team 2 for Pro Mass Media.

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Argument 2- The media gets to decide and what is trendy and “in”.

Although some media do promote fashion and music in the way that they see it, we should remember that it is only some. We still have the internet which is unregulated, and although some use it to support their own ideals, keep in mind that there are still people who use it to advocate change, and with blogging and reviews of many trends, not only here but anywhere around the world, you are left with a lot to wonder. For example, whenever I see an advertisement on T.V. promoting their products, it reminds me of how socializing and the internet really helped me out when making my decision on the quality of the Tama Iron Cobra Junior. The deal was I wanted to get a double bass drum pedal for a friend of mine for around $250. For a little more I could get way better quality ones, but it’s a start and for the price, experience reviews, cool drum dude at the store, and my tiny little friend’s build, it was great.

So, overall the internet, and socializing really help you get many views on countless topics and news and it is also wise to remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and that not everything needs to be choosing one side or another like many politicians want us to believe.

Argument 3-The media is a business that reports the news in the way they want to, in order to shape our views to theirs.

Even though many media outlets are biased in their news reporting, it is up to us to be educated on how we should be affected by the news we see and do not see. Take “16 & Pregnant.” Like many of MTV’s shows, it is all about the drama, but what the show did not anticipate was not just the high ratings, but how the show helped lower the teen birthrate. The show shows the harsh realities of being a teen mom and is getting teens aware of the results from unprotected sex and giving birth. I do not justify using the show as an educational tool for parents,but it is making people do something about sex education. Unlike MCPS, most public schools across the nation do not teach their students about practicing safe sex, but instead preach abstinence.

Overall, even if there are many biased media outlets they are at least reporting on news that we would otherwise may have not known of, and if you view all the other similar news reporting’s, you can compare them and decide for yourself what you get out of it. There are also outlets out there that are not biased and we just need to go out there and find them.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/1221/A-force-behind-the-lower-teen-birthrate-MTV-s-16-and-Pregnant

Week 4

Culture and Society

“Culture relativism…places a priority on understanding other cultures rather than dismissing them as ‘strange’ or ‘exotic’.”(Schaefer 2008, p.71) Schaefer also mentions that this does not mean we must accept every cultural variation. This topic personally resonated with me because it reminded me of how I took the role of a “Japanophile.”  In High School, like everyone else, I was trying to find myself and a place to belong to. As my friends and I broadened our music tastes we discovered what was called visual kei.  This is a type of fashion movement that Japanese rock musicians wear. It is as important to them as the music they make. It can be related to that of the Glam rock of the 1980s.

This was a huge culture shock to me. I couldn’t understand why straight men would wear these clothes,make up, kiss onstage and why it was so popular in general. This was my first encounter with Japanese culture. I later learned that the visual kei movement started in the 90s and was influenced by the glam rock of the 1980s and has since then evolved. The reasons for all the onstage kissing and girly lolita outfits were all a service for the fans. Japanese fangirls eat it up.

This is Malice Mizer they were one of the first pioneers in the movement. (Rocky Horror much huh?)


Since then the look has become more modernized and range from
a more sugary pop fashion. (make you want to fart rainbows yet?)


To a neutral, slightly darker, visual Kei.(they are singing in english btw)



And melancholy/gloomy Visual Kei.(Am I blowing your mind yet? ;))


Of course there is also normal Japanese Indie rock that is good to listen to as well.

(I think all songs are really good so you should give them a try)

I later became to love Japanese culture, fashion, media, and traditions. Opening myself to a whole different world also opened my mind to the rest of the world and taught me to look at things from that persons's/society's perspective. I decided that I wanted to become someone who was not ignorant and thought about how I could better myself and learn about our world in general. I still do not know what I want to do in my life since reality hits and as much as you would like to learn several languages and help impoverished nations, life does not work out that way. Or at least I can't find a way to learn japanese, french, korean, italian, vietnamese, and other cultures, and make a "proper" living out of it. I always say that I want to do it all and be a football, fighting, king in space. ;D With a mustache!
In all seriousness though I think it is good for all of us to expose ourselves to lots of cultures and people so we can learn to respect others values, norms, and traditions instead of being so ehtnocentric and barging into another country without brushing up on what the do's and don't's are. For example, Japanese people are very respectful of others and bowing is traditional when greeting as well and this level of respect for others show in their language as well. When referring to high level status people like doctors and teachers you call them sensei, when it is someone that is in a grade/level higher than you you refer to them as your senpai. San is also the title of respect added to the name of someone older. Kun is added to names when they are younger or the same age as you. Chan is added to children's names and sama is the highest level of respect. Just goes to show how much you should learn about a country if your ever on a business trips for example.


On a side note by listening to Japanese music I learned that music transcends language and we should all give music from other countries around the world an open mind by concentrating on melodies more than words.

Week 3

Wife Seclusion

Wife seclusion limits the movement of Muslim women. They cannot leave their homes without their husbands or their permission. They must be covered head to toe and cannot speak or meet men outside their family. Women who are divorced, widowed, or can no longer have children, do not have to follow these rules as strictly. This cultural/religious practice is said to violate women’s rights since the women must rely on the man in order to speak and stand for them. It is controversial because it is a woman’s choice to take part in this cultural and religious practice. Who are we to judge the way these women live when we, ourselves with all our freedoms end up cheating, divorcing, and end up in far worse scandals. I think this practice calls for men to be strong and financially adequate so that they can afford to have their women in seclusion. With limited interaction there is no deceit from the wife and creates a tighter knit family relation. Of course they have their own cons, but overall it is the norm and it is a way of life that these women have chosen to respect.

Mwilu, Lwanga. "Human Rights and Choice: Examining Cultural Practices That Disadvantage Women." Consultancy Africa Intelligence - Assist | Inform | Empower. 30 Apr. 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2011. .

Intro to SO101

Even though we only had one class in the first week of sociology, as many people have stated, I was very surprised and impressed with our professor, especially since all we knew of her name before then was Ms.TBA. When she came in I honestly did not notice her New York/ Jersey accent, which explains my surprise when she told us she had no idea where it came from since she came from California. Go figure *shrugs*. I thought, "Yes! A teacher who is young!, so she can fill me with energy!" and knowledge (coughs). Just kidding! She introduced us to the whole concept of what sociology is and what the semester will be like. I also really like that everything is online, even though it was a little tricky at first. After pointing out her awesome Doc Martens I found out that she was a vegan. That is so hardcore, I don't think I could do it y'know? No ice cream and pretty much, "eating dirt" according to my vegetarian pal ;). I mean it's pretty much no meat or anything that comes from an animal like milk and cheeses. Mad props! I suppose that's why everything is online since it saves paper. Overall I am looking forward to how the class will develop.