America: Relative, Not Absolute

To me, America is home. The place I grew up, got an education, and the place where I have a future. It's a land of opportunity, somewhere where anyone can do anything; impossible is nothing. Living in this place, we know no different. But coming from another country that is so radically different is an entirely different story. We have no idea how difficult it is to start from nothing in this country. Watching the documentary about the Lost Boys made me frustrated because of how difficult it was for the boys to live normal lives. They were basically left to fend for themselves, which made them long for the small comforts of their home. This just made me realize how much we take for granted here. And the fact is, many of us know it, but don't do anything about it. I know there is a limit to what one person is capable of doing, but until I saw this documentary I wasn't even aware of the Lost Boys and the hardships they faced. I wanted to know more about them and where they are now. So I searched for Peter and Santino online, and found that they both had received scholarships to college. And while things are most likely still a bit difficult for them, it was comforting to know that they have found success, however big or small, in a place where they didn't know if they were going to be able to make it and so many things were stacked against them. Oh, and Santino finally got his driver's license.

A Generation's-Worth of New Language

When we read the article about how the word 'skanks' has become a regular greeting used by today's youth, it made me realize how much our generation has changed what is acceptable language to use on a daily basis. Half the words we use today would have been completely taboo twenty years ago. But a culmination of this language along with television and especially music has made many words and phrases alright to use. Our generation constantly tests and pushes the boundaries of what our culture considers politically correct.
On one side, this isn't such a bad thing. With less and less taboo words and phrases people don't have to be so careful about what they say, as people don't attach much meaning to such language. However, it depends on the person. People could still take something totally seriously even if another person meant it as a joke. Even though personally I don't have a problem with a lot of the language used in today's society, you never know who will, so it's best to use it carefully, depending on your audience.

New Culture, New Perspective

Before last summer, I had never truly experienced a radically different culture. I had been to England, but their customs and language aren't too different from ours. But this past summer I traveled to Spain, where I definitely experienced culture shock. Although I was pretty familiar with reading the language, I wasn't the best at speaking it, and the Spaniards' rapid chatting was very intimidating. Their customs were also new to me, and our group had to adapt to them. We woke up early, were busy all day with a rest in the afternoon, ate dinner at eleven at night, and went to bed around two in the morning, just like they do. This was extremely difficult to get used to, especially with the time difference. But we really didn't have a choice. And looking back on the experience, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Being immersed in their culture, I felt like, really added to the trip.
Like what we've been talking about in class, you have to remove yourself from your norms and become a part of the new environment to really understand it. This is exactly what I had to do, and it made me appreciate the experience a lot more. Adapting to the Spanish customs really helped me learn and appreciate their culture and customs. Although it was a challenge, I know that in similar future situations, I need to be less skeptical of new things and embrace them to really get the most out of the experience.

How social extremes show us social norms

When we think of cannibalism, we automatically associate it with being bad or gross. This would be an expected reaction from anyone in our society, as this is how we've been taught to think. Deviating from this opinion would most likely cause others to be looked down upon. In the article about the people stranded in the mountains, we see how they initially react to the idea of eating their dead. They're disgusted, because they should be. Or at least society tells them they should be. But once they realize that it is their only option, they begin to rationalize it. Since they need to survive, cannibalism becomes acceptable to certain members of the group. Thus, this social extreme has become a social norm.
People crave the approval of others. It's the way our society works. When you think about it, any type of social extreme could become a norm, if it was acceptable to everyone. We know that this is how different groups in society are formed. People flock to where others share their views, and their norms, because people want to be wanted, and to belong. More simply put, we shape our society through each other.