News Media

News media has a large influence of what people perceive of society. The media is ultimately controlled by whites which causes an issue with the way things are depicted on television. The most recent case which is an example is the case of this is Hurricane Katrina. Although African Americans and whites were both affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the news only showed Blacks stealing from stores and dragging the little belongings they had through the 8 foot high body of water. They failed to show the many white people who were also grabbing handfuls of items in those stores. The media also tends to sweep things under the rug when whites mess up. In the Martin Lee Anderson case, the white males beat an African American child to death yet this one on the news for only a couple of days. This is a pure example of the media showing what they want America to see.

Spending Habits

My personal experience with spending habits is not very positive. This topic was the most relatable to me. I struggle with this issue everyday. In today’s society this problem is becoming more critical. Although the economy is getting worse and more people are without jobs, it is amazing how the number of money spent per year by Americans are increasing rapidly. Amongst these numbers, African Americans are spending the most money. This was amazing to me especially since we are the group receiving the lowest income in the United States. The money being used to buy depreciable big ticket can be better served buying land or investing into stocks or other options that will help you make money and prepare for the future. African Americans need to learn to have their money work for them not against them.

Video Games

Growing up playing video games was a hobby that children loved to do but understood that it was just that, a game. This is not the case in today’s society. The video games are becoming much more graphic and violent. Games are now exposing children to weapons, sex, and violent actions. For example, the newest version of Grand Theft Auto have the children play a pimp and they are able to purchase prostitutes. After some time, the player asks the prostitute if they have their money. If not, they are able to beat the girl.
The God Father is also a video game now. As I watched my younger sister play the game, I was shocked to see how extreme the violence really was on the game. Even my 3 year old nephew was so attracted to the game. He did not move for hours. He even attempted to mock some of the shooting scenes he had witnessed in the game. I believe that video games are healthy for children as long as they are monitored. When the violence becomes too graphic and the concepts are extremely negative, that’s when it becomes a problem.

American Language

American language has changed drastically over the years. It has gone from complete sentences to BFF(best friend forever) and LOL(laugh out loud). Americans are always trying to find a way to cut the time it takes to do a particular task in half. People are not even interested in having a normal phone conversation. They went from instant messaging online to texting over the phone. I feel like this is not big problem right now but I do believe that the problem will worsen in the future. I think that all of these new techniques of communicating with one another is taking away from true English.

Do Words Matter?

I truly believe that words do matter. It is okay for an individual to speak freely when they are hanging out with friends or in their own personal time. Yet, when going into a professional environment it would be wise for people to stick to using universal language. Universal language can be described as language that is used and understood by everyone. Even in personal matters, everyone should remain conscience about what they are saying and to whom they are speaking.

Gender

With the issue of gender, I believe that women would like to have true equality with men, but that is not the case. As far as social equality, women are able to walk around freely and do as they please just as much as men. In terms of the workforce and political office, men are much more dominant. I do not view this as a negative thing because I am more comfortable working under male supervision rather than women. I believe that men are less emotional and tend to be less emotionally attached giving them the ability to make clear and concise professional decisions. I am not saying that all women are incapable of doing the same. I am however saying that majority of women are not able to disconnect from their personal emotions, therefore causing conflict and tension in the workplace

Genetics

Before this presentation I never thought about the issue of genetics. I just knew that my family was my family. After the presentation I realized that everyone on this earth is related and connected to one another no matter what their skin color is or their other physical characteristics. I am spiritual so I would have to think that if Adam and Eve were the first human beings on earth, they had children that had children, which began the cycle of life. As disturbing as this seems, this would prove that we are all related.

Cultural Identities

I am very familiar with this topic because I am Haitian and have encountered several issues with my cultural identity. In the past, if I were asked who I was I would have said Haitian. When I began to take different test in grade school, the test would only have Black or African American as an option for ethnic background. I did not think I fell under any of these topics so I always left that space blank. I did not know if I was defined by the color of my skin or my true culture. After the presentation I began to think of the answer to that question. I know now that I am not defined by the color of my skin. There is more to people than just that. Someone can be black and are still from India or other parts of the world. Just like a white person who are Haitian and were born and raised in Haiti.

Social Networking

Social networking is very important in today’s society. It is no longer about what you know, more so than who you know. It seems as though having a wide variety of friends in different fields guarantees you a job almost everywhere you go. Today, many people use different technologies such as Facebook in order to network. It has gotten to the point where employers actually search for employees on this site and other sites like it. They also use this site to figure out the true character of their employees outside of work. This social utility can help you and harm you. Another issue with social networking is the well being of all the children who are on these sites. I personally believe that the children involved in abductions and murders due to the sites are personally responsible for their situation just as much as their parents. I think that facebook and myspace do all they can to prevent children who are not of age from getting on the site and becoming a victim. In the end of the day, children today are very intelligent and find ways around the restrictions. They can do as little as change the year of their birthday. It is up to the parents to keep a tight hold on what their children are doing online.

Body Image

The main issue with body image in today’s society is the false perception of self that people tend to possess. One of the most controversial issues that fall under body image is weight. Many women are concerned with reaching an unattainable level of perfection due to the standards that are set by society and overly stressed through the media. This issue used to be common amongst women ages 20 to 40. In today’s society it is now common for girls between the ages of 6 to 21. I would have to hold the media responsible for this shift in age groups. At this age, girls are very impressionable. When they see their idols such as Lindsay Lohan and Nichole Richie shedding pounds and receiving praise for their newly thin frames, they want to follow in their footsteps. The problem has gotten so bad that girls as little as 6 years old are on different diets in order to no be fat like their mother. This angers me because at that age a child’s main concern should be playing with friends, school, and just being a child.