"Beers and Weirs"

In this week's Freaks & Geeks episode, we laughed along as we watched Lindsey's kegger take place. Mom and dad go out of town "trusting her" to do the right thing and of course once out of sight and out of mind her new cool friends get her to throw a party. Her brother and his friends fear the thought of kids drinking at the Weir household after having watched an awakening drinking and driving assembly at school that very day. They purchase a keg with fake beer and everyone becomes seemingly "trashed." Lindsey comes to find Daniel and his ex-girlfriend making out in her room and her mood changes from that all-time high to the emotional "drunk." Everyone quickly disperses after Neil calls the cops to help Lindsey get the house in shape before mom and dad get home.
We discussed agents of socialization after watching this episode, how everything and everybody around us influence the many decisions we make. In Lindsey's case, mom and dad's trust in her and the social pressure of being cool in front of her new friends, influenced her decision in having a party.
How many times in your own life do you do something because you know it will look better perhaps not in your own eyes but in the eyes of those you're looking to impress? Doing that extra little something at work that you probably wouldn't do if you knew your boss wasn't watching? Acting a certain way, saying something you wouldn't catch yourself saying or doing if it wasn't for the cute guy you were crushing on? Trying something you wouldn't ever let yourself try just to become accepted by a social group?
We're constantly in situations where those around us influence us. I can't say I've never been that person, in fact I've probably been in all of those situations and in some of them have acted against my own better judgment.
Although this episode was downright hilarious, it sent the message that we do in fact base many of our decisions on our agents of socialization.

Morrie's views on Nurture

After having watched Tuesdays with Morrie, I realized that as independent as some of us may think we are (me included), we still need those basic things that an infant does; love, affection, and nurturing.

As a little kid, whenever I had a nightmare I would run to my parents room and squeeze between mom and dad for comfort because I needed somebody to hold me in order to help me get rid of my fears. As we get older however, even Morrie tells us, we tend to stray away from this holding and touching because we feel that we are "better than that," "independent." But all through life that we need that affection and that love from others in order to help us keep going.

By interacting with others we are able to grow and prosper into a full human being. We learn our language through others, we learn to give and receive love through others. This is shown in Morrie's growing relationship between him and Mitch. We see that their close interaction not only brought them to a much more intimate level but they really fed off of each other through the information they gave and received.

Us and Them

This week in sociology, we discussed the cultural norms in America versus those norms in another country. A simple "a-okay" to a friend could mean "you're an a**hole" in Italy. All countries may hold different values and have different meanings for various things but it is important to keep sociological mindfulness for everyone.
For example, when Sal talked about the traditional Japanese bathroom and his reaction, I'm not so sure I would have reacted any differently. Of course at first I would have found it weird but I thought it was great that he kept his mind open and realized that this material object says something about the Japanese culture and there is reason for the way they have their bathroom set up.
My family is from Russia and it is stereotypical that Russians are "drinkers" and whenever I tell my friends that my parents are out, they assume that they're out partying and drinking. This may not always be the case but it is seen as a cultural norm of the Russian culture.
Through understanding about cultural norms in Sals' perspective and then being able to relate it back to my own cultural background, I've understood that sociological mindfulness should be something we hold close because in order to appreciate all the differences among us, we have to keep our minds open to everything!