Friday, February 25, 2011

Norms and Sanctions

On Tuesday, senior teachers taught us about norms and sanctions. Speaking the same language, being polite, marriage, going to school until at least the 10th grade, and wearing clothing every day. These are all examples of Norms. Think of your daily route, that’s a norm for everyone. A norm is the expiations about what behavior, thoughts or feelings are appropriate within a group or culture. Norms can be broken by changing the way you brush your teeth or how your second semester classes change. Men and women have many different kind of norms. Women wear makeup and while men shave their facial hair regularly. A sanction is the reward or punishment that results from a norm being followed or violated. For example a cell phone out in class and receiving four detentions. Think of your own norms or Sanctions that you regulary do; also see how many you break. It’s cool to see what society does on a daily basis without even realizing it.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Body Ritual Among the Nacirema

We read an article in class called Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.  The Nacirema have an excessive focus on the appearance and health of their bodies. They go to extreme measures to support their beliefs. For example they set up shrines in their homes which are filled with magical potions from medicine men and herbalists.  Could this be the kitchen cabinets of today which are filled with a multitude of vitamins, medicines, herbal remedies and protein shakes from are doctors and local GNC Stores? The Nacirema reward the medicine men (our doctors?) and the herbalists (the pharmacists of today?) for their services.


The Nacirema can only use holy water during their rituals, which water comes from the local Water Temple. Today the “Water Temples” are named Dasani and Aquafina.



Another ritual that the Nacirema strongly believe in involves rinsing of children mouths to improve their “moral fiber”.  In today’s society, some parents use soap.
Our society can become obsessive about our looks and health.  We are overrun with health clubs, vitamin stores, organic foods, diets and exercise equipment.  This is both good and bad. The good is we care about our appearance and health. The bad is that we tend to go to extremes, and people that profit from these health-related products take advantage of us.


Thursday, February 10, 2011

Freaks and Geeks

In class we watched an episode of Freaks and Geeks, and studied the aspects of society from that episode. Examples of Manifest and Latent functions were shown in this show very clearly. At one point a high school girl is confronted my her dad at home. He says that school is for learning first, but you should also learn to socialize at school. The dad wanted his daughter to go to the homecoming dance. The dad tells us that high schools manifest function is for learning, but its latent function is socializing.
            This episode also showed an example of symbolic interaction. A “bad boy” asked a “good girl” to join him on the smoking patio. The boy could be a good kid, but because he hangs around the smoking patio it makes him a bad kid. The smoking patio symbolizes bad things.
            This show shows very clearly the way society works in high school, and gives examples of different functions in society.  
            In this article it talks about the different points of view that Manifest and Latent functions can be looked at. Schools produce a very clear view on how manifest and latent work, but there are many more examples. http://socialanthropology2010-2011.blogspot.com/2010/10/manifest-and-latent-functions.html

Friday, February 4, 2011

Silence, is it awkward?

I believe that silence is only awkward if you make it awkward. In class on Tuesday are teacher sat in the corn of the room working and not starting class right away. No one seemed to notice at first so things were not awkward. But about five minutes later, people started wondering why she wasn’t starting class yet. Things started to get awkward because people started making it awkward by ending their side conversations or asking questions. I believe people do have side conversations so things will be less awkward by making noise. I also think everyone was thrown off by the teacher’s actions because we are so use to teachers staring class right away. By filling the room with noise made everyone feel more comfortable and less awkward. I think it’s a habit for people to try to make things less awkward in a quiet situation or others may make things awkward by throwing a daily routine off.