Language

It's really interesting to think about all of the different countries in the world and how each one has one or many of their own languages spoken and all have different cultures. I think it is virtually impossible for someone to be able to properly communicate with and understand people from all of these different places. As we learned in class, something as simple as the "okay" hand gesture that Americans use means something extremely different and rather offensive to Italians. Most Americans, however, probably have no idea that this is the case and might give this gesture to an Italian without even thinking twice about it. Also, it is hard to think that some languages have words that don't even translate to English. We just assume that since we are Americans our language covers everything, but the truth is that many languages happen to have words that are not expressed in English. When I was in junior high I was talking to a friend who spoke Russian and she was trying to tell me a story about her family that she thought was hilarious. As the story went on, I found that it was going to be nearly impossible for her to tell it because she just could not figure out how to tell me what her family members said in English, because they also spoke Russian. It's important for people to be aware of how many different cultures there are out there and how many different languages other people speak. By being more socially aware, people from very different cultures can communicate better and learn how to understand one another in a simpler manner.

A Bronx Tale

The movie A Bronx Tale is a great story that tells a lot about how one's surroundings and world can greatly influence who they are. The neighborhood that Calogero is from was most likely formed when a group of Italians moved in and the generations of their families to follow continued to stay there and never leave. It is inevitable to have different groups within a neighborhood, because not every person is the same, and similar people will always stick together. One gang most likely formed a long time before Sonny's gang came along and the men kept the business in their families and continued the tradition. The people who chose to live an honest life were probably always on the outside since the formation of the neighborhood. Living next to Sonny's bar but having a dad uninvolved with Sonny's men and activities, Calogero was thrown in the middle of these two lifestyles within his world. Having to balance being an honest man and being a part of Sonny's gang is most likely something that many men before him had to deal with. In the end, Calogero turned out being a good kid and was extremely lucky that he did since he was a part of both Sonny's group and the group his father wanted him to be in. I feel that this scenario is nothing like my like or neighborhood at all. First off, my neighborhood is very diverse and has families of all races, ethnicities, and religions. Nobody "runs" the neighborhood and has more control than anyone else, and everyone is mainly shaped by their families and personal lives, not by what goes on in the neighborhood. I know personally that I am shaped more by my family, friends, activities, and religion than my neighborhood, even though many of my friends to live or have lived in my neighborhood.

Complex You

Whether people realize it or not, we are all part of many different groups that make us who we are, and have shaped us all of our lives. Friends, family, activities, and race are all examples of the groups that people are a part of, and most likely don't even realize. These groups don't necessarily define us, but they all influence who we are and who we become. People and things that we are constantly surrounded by will naturally end up shaping, or affecting, us whether it be positively or negatively. One group that I feel has shaped me the most is Judaism.  My friends might change and in the future I may switch clubs or sports, but I will be Jewish for as long as I live. Living in this community and going to Stevenson, I am surrounded by other Jewish people, and many of my friends are Jewish as well. Regardless of how often I go to temple or how often I pray, I am still Jewish and believe in everything that I have been taught from my religion. Personally, I have never faced any major conflicts in this group, but my sister has. When she first entered the University of Iowa as a freshman, her roommate, who is from Iowa, could count the number of Jews she had met before on one hand. Her roommate was accepting, but just couldn't understand why our family doesn't have a Christmas tree, or grasp the concept that we don't go to Church. I feel that it is my responsibility to stand by my religion and make sure others understand and accept it for as long as I live. This relates back to sociological mindfulness because all people should try to understand the beliefs and ways of those around them to create a world full of empathy and allow people to be enlightened.

Snowpocalypse

I think it's safe to say that I was as shocked as most other students and teachers at Stevenson that the storm hit as hard as it did. What was far more shocking was the fact that we got not one, but two days off of school! Seeing as how this storm was so bad and many people were even trapped in their homes, you would assume that the snow would have brought people in a neighborhood or community together. Unfortunately, I never saw this happening in my neighborhood, and my family members surely didn't see it either. My grandma lives down the street from my aunt and uncle, and at the moment she is currently staying at their house because of a recent illness. She's a widow and it would be too hard for her to get better and take care of herself in her own house without any help. After the storm hit, her neighbor whose house hers is connected to decided to only have their snowplow service plow her driveway and not my grandma's, even though they are literally connected. It blows my mind that someone my grandma has been friends with for so long would not help her out at all, especially since my aunt and uncle needed to get into my grandma's house but were blocked by a 3 foot wall of snow. This relates back to the idea that people are not sociologically mindful and they only care about themselves and don't think how their actions will affect others. It is events such as these that remind me how so many people are only interested in themselves and rarely think about helping or being there for others.