Help - I need suggestions on current social problems and how to address them

[La Sagna]

So basically you want us to come up w the topic of your assignment and also the solution, so you can benefit. Are you sure you aren't a business major?

I'm not asking for the solution. I just asked that the social issue be something that could be solved through more simple things like social work and policies, not things like overthrowing the government. I'm just doing some research and brainstorming. I think it's better to look around and see what people are concerned about so I can expand my view about the issues. I have lots of ideas but they are obviously coming from my own subjective experience and opinions. I think if you ask other people's opinion then you can hopefully get a more objective view.

 

[La Sagna]

I find the whole issue with "gender roles" fascinating.
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-one-way-gender-revolution-20131227,0,7169949.story#ixzz2of4cRKsV
http://business.time.com/2013/12/10/pantene-powerfully-breaks-down-every-sexist-workplace-stereotype-in-one-ad/

From the second link: While a man is a “boss,” a woman is seen as “bossy.” Men are “persuasive,” while women are “pushy.” If a guy works late, he’s “dedicated,” but a woman is “selfish.” A man who struts down the street is “smooth,” but his female counterpart is “showy.”

Thanks. Both the article and the ad really highlight discrimination that both women and men face when they are deemed to not be acting like a 'man' or a 'woman' is supposed to act. I hope that this will get better in the future. The crazy thing I think is that in both cases the worse culprits in discriminating in this fashion tend to be people of the same sex, so women judging other women for being a show-off or bossy and men telling other men that they are sissies or other derogatory terms because they are doing things that are considered more feminine.

 

[say what]

This might be of interest to you!

http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...s-millennials-should-be-fighting-for-20140103

 

[muir]

Wow! The big question is why white people get away with this stuff so easily. If somebody is doing something wrong, it's wrong no matter what colour or sex they are. People are so dumb.

I think there are certain patterns in the way the human brain works

people over millenia have observed these patterns and exploit them

So the colour issue is because people have been cutlurally programmed to think and feel certain ways about certain things

here's a video that looks at the psychology involved in shaping a society. there is a segment with an experiment where the test subjects are asked to give their opinion about the size of some lines but to tell the truth they have to go against group concensus. What the findings of the experiment suggest is that group consensus can actually warp the perceptions of some people so that they actually perceieve reality differently to how it actually is!

Pretty disturbing but it makes sense of a lot of things in our society! As always the answer to such a problem is a growth in conscious awareness!

[video=youtube;p8ERfxWouXs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ERfxWouXs#t=356[/video]

 

[say what]

Group dynamics, social influence, diffusion of responsibility- these are all amazing things. It's really interesting to see how they shape society.

I remember reading White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack and having a huge realization. We don't often see how social norms, media, etc. shape our understand of where we sit within the social structure or where others sit.

 

[La Sagna]

I think there are certain patterns in the way the human brain works

people over millenia have observed these patterns and exploit them

So the colour issue is because people have been cutlurally programmed to think and feel certain ways about certain things

here's a video that looks at the psychology involved in shaping a society. there is a segment with an experiment where the test subjects are asked to give their opinion about the size of some lines but to tell the truth they have to go against group concensus. What the findings of the experiment suggest is that group consensus can actually warp the perceptions of some people so that they actually perceieve reality differently to how it actually is!

Pretty disturbing but it makes sense of a lot of things in our society! As always the answer to such a problem is a growth in conscious awareness!

[video=youtube;p8ERfxWouXs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ERfxWouXs#t=356[/video]

They mentioned this study in my Intro to Psychology class. I was trying to imagine how I would react. I'm not sure. I tend to not follow the 'crowd' and to go against the grain more than most people so I think there is a chance that I would not be fooled and speak up, but I don't know that for sure.

I think Toronto and its surrounding communities is a good example of how racism can be at least greatly minimized, if not eliminated. The younger generation have grown up surrounded by people of all sorts of different racial groups and are very comfortable in that context. My son who is now 20 really surprised me when he was around maybe 12. There was a story on television about a black man in the Southern United States who had been dragged behind a truck until he died, just a terrible story. When my son saw this he asked me why they did this to the man and I explained to him about the struggle between the different races that is still unfortunatly prevelant, especially in certain areas of the US. He really shocked me because he had no concept of race. His group of friends included one of Iranian descent, a black kid and an Italian kid and he really couldn't see the difference in terms of race. I thought that was great. It's not like there isn't racism here, there certainly is, but in many areas that are very culturally diverse the kids grow up very comfortable with the idea of living with all sorts of people that look different, or have different cultures.

 

[La Sagna]

Group dynamics, social influence, diffusion of responsibility- these are all amazing things. It's really interesting to see how they shape society.

I remember reading White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack and having a huge realization. We don't often see how social norms, media, etc. shape our understand of where we sit within the social structure or where others sit.

Very interesting read. It made me think that in Canada these statements would probably apply particularly to Native Canadians.

 

[muir]

They mentioned this study in my Intro to Psychology class. I was trying to imagine how I would react. I'm not sure. I tend to not follow the 'crowd' and to go against the grain more than most people so I think there is a chance that I would not be fooled and speak up, but I don't know that for sure.

I know how i would react...i would look across at the people next to me with a confused expression on my face and think ''what are these dipshits talking about'' and then i would give the truthful answer.....lol....and i'm sure you would too

I know this because i have had to go against consensus many times in life in order to keep the truth in sight

I think Toronto and its surrounding communities is a good example of how racism can be at least greatly minimized, if not eliminated. The younger generation have grown up surrounded by people of all sorts of different racial groups and are very comfortable in that context. My son who is now 20 really surprised me when he was around maybe 12. There was a story on television about a black man in the Southern United States who had been dragged behind a truck until he died, just a terrible story. When my son saw this he asked me why they did this to the man and I explained to him about the struggle between the different races that is still unfortunatly prevelant, especially in certain areas of the US. He really shocked me because he had no concept of race. His group of friends included one of Iranian descent, a black kid and an Italian kid and he really couldn't see the difference in terms of race. I thought that was great. It's not like there isn't racism here, there certainly is, but in many areas that are very culturally diverse the kids grow up very comfortable with the idea of living with all sorts of people that look different, or have different cultures.

I just watched '12 years a slave' today....powerful stuff

I would love to see an end to racism

I have noticed something interesting though. Borders in Europe are being blurred as part of the European Union and this has seen massive movements of people; 'globalisation' has also seen a large movement of people.

This process is being called 'multiculturalism'

History has always seen migrations of people...that's nothing new

But what i find interesting is that the only 'western' country that isn't embracing 'multi culturalism' is Israel

Israel has been building detention camps for african migrants and it doesn't allow black people to donate blood!