posted by Sam Richards
That’s me after planning one of my lectures on the Old Main lawn back in the early 1990s. I was having a sudden flash of insight…and then it was gone. Just like all of us eventually.
So we’re at the end of another semester and I’m at the halfway point of my 20th year at Penn State and my 19th year of teaching SOC 119. It’s all different; it’s all the same. Things were more raucous back in those days–like when I had to ask an offensive lineman for an NFL team (who was finishing his degree in the off season) to sit in the middle of a couple of groups of people who wouldn’t stop arguing with each other. And it kept getting heated to the extent that I was certain that eventually things were going to “go down.” They never did. He was bigger than all of them…combined.
There was another guy who told me that for the first twelve weeks of the semester he secretly fantasized about how he’d like to participate in my demise. “I hated you,” he told me, “with ever fiber of my being. I REALLY hated you.” But then he started to “worship” me because I “saved his life” (his words), which is how I found out that he hated me. “I’ll never forget you,” he kept saying over and over. That’s a long story and I’m not about to tell it here.
Or they guy who condemned me to hell in front of the entire class in the middle of my LGBT lecture. That’s when I started asking God to leave. It’s just too much pressure. That was surely the most surreal moment of all time in the SOC 119 class–even more surreal than me falling flat on my back on my birthday this past September.
But alas, here we are. Why don’t you just take this last opportunity to put some words down about what you saw in yourself and others around you this semester. Feel free to use the reply button and respond to something that someone else (or several people) has or have said. And enjoy it…because you might be dead before you hit the send button.
Last Journal for Soc 119
Is funny, Mr. Richards you have teaching Soc. 119 the same amount of time that I have alive, so I assume that the experiences over a life time is what define what we are at the end. However as you say parts of you are impossible to change, but can change others, like religion. The first day of class, when you say things about dead and the things that you usually said I got mad, but not really it was more indignation and curiosity of why you said that, mostly because you are a professor in a big university, and you said f-u in front of many students. I don’t have a problem with people saying things the way things are, I like that because it makes everything more real and I am like that in some way. Then, I decided that I was going to go to talk to you and ask you some questions, just to satisfy my curiosity. It was fun, you are the kind of person that I like to question and debate with. I can contradict most of what you may say to me just to contradict you. Now I know that you have reasons for saying most of the things you say in class. However, I am in disagreement with something you told me the way I went to talk to you. As the semester gets to an end, I can say that I have learned things that I did not knew, which is good.
I wonder why you decided to teach in Penn State instead of helping all the poor people that you meet during your trips. I do not understand if you did it just for your own curiosity which I believe is big or because you wanted to help people. Probably you got tired or simply decided to have a regular life. I can see you mission of inform students about the issues around the world.
I believe that you are a really interesting person; I have discovered that the time is the best teacher and that our experiences change us for bad or good. Adaptation is the way the world is rule for people. I have noticed that you enjoy talking to students, teaching and helping others, this reason make of you a good teacher. That is good because I believe that students do not forget very bad or very good teachers and in my list you are in the good side. However I can understand why people might not like you, but is okay because not body is perfect. Most people that speak their mind and think different from other are dislike by many people and I think you are one of those individuals. I wish you the best, and I hope you keep with you mission for a long time.
I can honestly say that this class has changed my whole perception towards life and the way that I look at things. It is by far one of the most controversial classes that I have ever taken. The topics that we touched upon in class were topics that have never came up in any of my other classes. I admire the way that Sam allows us to express our opinions in class and through our journals each week. In most of my classes I tend to hesitate before I express my opinions in fear that I would be later judged about them. But in Soc 119 I have the opportunity to express my personal opinion and feelings freely.
My favorite part of the class would have to be the small groups that we are apart of each week. I love the discussions that come up each week during them! I can really say that I walk away learning something new after each session. Things that I would have never knew before about races other than my own. I find it funny how many similarities we all tend to have despite our differences in race. The most interesting subject that I can recall that came up in my group was the idea about bringing home a boyfriend/girlfriend from a race different from our own. It was interesting to hear my groups responses about what their friends or families might say, think, or do.
As I mentioned before this class has helped to change my perception towards a lot of things in life. Every time I find myself complaining about the price of something I think about all of the slaves and sweatshop workers and of the blood sweat and tears that they put in just so that I could pay a cheaper price for materialistic things. Before this class when I would think about slavery the first thing that would come to my mind would be African Americans. I was not aware that slavery still exist in other countries and even worst to know that I am supporting it every single day. As, Sam mentioned in class there is no way to get around supporting slavery because almost every thing that we use or eat may be supported by slavery. Just to know that hurts my heart in the worst way. I can imagine waking up everyday to work for someone who will never give me cent for my hard work. I do not look at chocolate in the same way after taking this class. To know that across the country a child is being deprived of food and an education just to bag cocoa beans everything makes me feel horrible. But like Sam said the first step towards helping stopping slavery is being aware of it. So now that I am aware of it I will continue to inform others about it as well. I will forever be changed by Soc 119.
I needed this class. Not just for credit, sure I need that too, but I needed more. I see myself at the more “liberal” end of the spectrum… not because I necessarily classify myself as a liberal… but because I generally find that they are more likely to listen to reason than people who call themselves conservatives (and those seem to be the two ideologies people talk about most). And although Sam recently stated he is a registered libertarian, I think most liberals would agree with many of his viewpoints….. but enough about all the political formalities that we require only because people aren’t confident or informed enough to make decisions on their own (this isn’t a clearly developed idea, but maybe you get what I’m saying… if anyone actually reads these).
But… I’ve agreed with pretty much everything Sam has said this year, even when he tries to conceal his personal views on the subject (not very well). So I haven’t gotten angry, and I can’t say he’s really made me change my mind on issues, but Sam has given me the tools to think differently about many of the issues we talked about in class. I also now understand what’s at the heart of many issues… what’s really worth talking about… and what just leads us in circles around the real problem. When Sam concluded that the immigration issue is pretty much, or 100%, tied to business and industry, it did something that most arguments I have heard about immigration failed to achieve… it made sense. I got it.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s really important over the past year and half. I’ve been confused and almost mad about where my life is leading me right now, or more where PSU is leading me, and if I like where I’m going. I feel more confident now in choosing where I want to be.. because we’re all gonna die.. If you get caught up on the little things and miss the big issues that really make us human, then what are we really doing..
Something like that….
So Sam…. I get it.
I wish I had more time to think about this last journal, or had written down every comment that came to mind during the semester. But I don’t have any of that stuff so this is coming straight from the way my heart feels at the present time about my favorite class ever.
When I first came to class I left telling everyone I knew how great this class was. For the first time in my life I had a teacher who seemed to perceive the world the same way as myself, but more in depth. He literally instantly became one of my biggest idols, which include Lennon, Marley, Hendrix, and Betty Ford (in no particular order).
I truly scheduled race relations as a class because I had to do the race relations project for a journalism ethics class and I absolutely loved every second of it. Of course it didn’t hurt that a couple of the coolest girls I have ever met were in the session with me. One of them, Kelly, was in a journalism and a political science class with me. She’s a white republican, but very liberal and that made us have this instant chemistry. I am not political at all, so she fascinated me and subliminally taught me so much about myself. The other girl was an African-American and Kelly’s friend. I felt the openness in her heart as soon as we said our first words to each other.
After that session I knew I had to sign up for the class, because I enjoy discussing everything controversial and I have a very open soul.
The second race relations project session I signed up for was also amazing and eye-opening. I realized that most racism really does come from under education. I found myself asking questions, as if I was a facilitator and both of the facilitators went with it.
One of the most pivotal moments of this session came about when the group was discussing how safe they would feel if they were individually walking down a dark street and a group of big black males come into sight. The white male to the right of me said, “Yea, I would definitely be scared.” I immediately asked him why and proceeded further in asking him if he would be scared if that happened in the streets of State College, when they are most likely football players. He withdrew a little realizing why his response triggered me.
I see racism everywhere, but that’s because I am aware of the strings attached in the minds of most people. I unconsciously look for things that are triggered by racism and social stigmas. I wish to spread the concept of race relations through my writing skills. Hope you are reading some of my work in class someday. Oh yea and no one ever really dies.
Coming to college, I never intended on taking a Sociology or race relations class. It was not until I heard from- not one, not two- but three friends who all had the same strong opinion on SOC 119. They told me I would be crazy not to take this class with Sam Richards- because he is such a thought-provoking and influential professor, perhaps the most influential professor they had ever experienced. Reluctantly, yet knowing I could use the class to satisfy a general education requirement, I agreed to schedule the course.
Now, I’m only two classes and a final exam away from completely the course, and I cannot be more satisfied with what Sam Richards and his race relations class has taught me- which was not useless trivial information, but a stronger sense of who I am as a person and where I stand amongst my peers. For instance, I had not ever thought so deeply about the relationship that exists today between blacks and white. This is probably because I come from a small rural town with a denser white population than the Penn State University Park community. I did have one black friend early on in high school- until he moved away to another state- and I can honestly say that I never thought differently about this friend or pondered his skin tone. He was just another friend. Now that I know more about what can exist between blacks and whites still today, I wonder if he ever felt out of place living in my community. I also wonder if he ever felt that us whites had an unfair advantage or whether or not he ever faced any subliminal discrimination- discrimination that is hard to detect or that people do not even know that they are committing. Regardless, him and I will never have that conversation.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this sociology class is the encouragement to discuss the lecture topics with the peers sitting next to us in class. By talking to other people my own age about these somewhat unchartered topics, I learned more about myself and more about people that have very different backgrounds from myself. I was forced to explore these topics at a much deeper level in this class. Having benefitted so much from simple chit-chat with the people that I once sat next to at some point in the semester, I realize that it is a shame that many people would disregard Sam when he would tell us to “find a partner” and start a discussion. I feel as though people who were inactive in class did not gain as much valuable experience as I did.
Lastly, I would like to point out that the three books that we had to read this semester were some of the easiest-to-read yet important books I have ever read. For those who chose not to read the books for the class, I encourage you to finish them on your own.
What I like about this class was the fact that Sam pretty much stated the obvious things that we like to ignore in order to feel better about ourselves. It amazes how easily people change their minds when things are worded differently. I now realize how fickle humans are and that we are, in the end, all hypocrites and somewhat, to a certain degree, close-minded. I would never imagine that I would ever have a teacher like Sam. I heard from people that this was great class and that Sam was a great and fun teacher. When I went to my first lecture, I was quite surprised by how he acted and how open- minded he is. I really enjoyed his stories about his experience in life. He truly has a life worth living.
This semester, I really enjoyed meeting and talking with the members of my recitation group. I loved how close we got towards the end. Time truly makes people more and more comfortable with each other. I thought it was hilarious that our class would acknowledge our sudden awkward silences between our discussions and we would try to laugh it off. I think my group was one the best groups because we were all good listeners. We never argued harshly. We never tried to change people’s mind and judge them on their opinions. We simply stated what we thought and accepted it and talked more.
This class made me realize how different everyone was on certain subjects. I never really had the opportunity to talk about certain issues with random people before because it was never my place to ask a stranger. Even though, most people had different opinions than me, I could actually still be their friend.
I really enjoyed going to lecture and just sitting there and listening. I like not having to worry about writing notes and just relaxing and taking in what he was saying. However, as time went on, I found that Sam is better more and more redundant and somewhat boring. I think it was hilarious that he was so amazed and wowed by what he was saying. It was quite entertaining.
As this class comes to an end, I am really glad that I took this class. I would definitely recommend this class to everyone person out there. It will help them open their mind and view the world from a more macro perspective. This class makes you realize how much harder life is for other people of the world and that we should appreciate what we have. I know now much more how lucky we are and I should never complain too much because it could always be worse.
SOC 119 is one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken at college. At the beginning of my senior year, I went to my advisor and asked advice on a good class to take and my advisor told me this would be a great class for my senior year. I never knew what to expect when coming to class, which was probably the most interesting and exciting part of the course. I also enjoyed the fact that the students in the class were not afraid to ask questions and share their opinions while in class but Sam set the classroom up as a “safe place” for conversation. While I greatly enjoyed lectures, my overall favorite aspect of the course was the group discussion section.
I absolutely LOVED every person in my group discussion! Through the facilitated discussion, all of us developed relationships and learned how to appreciate cultural and racial diversity. I was never afraid and timid to share my experience and opinions while in group discussion because I knew it would be kept confidential and that no one would pass judgment of my opinion. My TA’s, Joe and Carmella, did a great job of creating a comfortable environment and facilitating hard discussions.
My overall favorite topic covered in class was the LGBT issue. I couldn’t agree more with any point that Sam made and I think it helped opened student’s eyes to the reality of the situation. This topic facilitated a great discussion in my group that took two weeks to completely cover.
My least favorite aspect of the course was the overuse of statistics. Yes, statistics are very useful in showing a broad view of a topic of research, but often they are flawed or outdated. Statistics and their indications also differ on how they are presented. Every statistics can be altered to be viewed many difference way. In this class I did think the majority of statistics used were informative but I feel that some were over used and misrepresented. I personally conduct research and manipulate statistics numbers, so I am conscious of how statistics are derived.
Overall, I think Sam did a great job with the course this semester and I have highly recommended the class to all of my friends. You may not agree with everything Sam says, but that is not the point of the class. The point of the class I to open students eye to global and national ethnic and racial issues to have them reassess their opinion and feelings toward people who are different from them. This class really opened my eye to many pressing issues and taught me to be open with my opinions. This class is unique to Penn State and most students in the country/world do not have to ability to attend a class like this so I hope other students found this class as interesting and educating as I did.
I really enjoyed this class a lot and think that I really learned a lot. The class is very different from any other class that I’ve ever taken. Its very untraditional and not like an average classes. I think that the class was very eye opening and really gave me a new perspective on the world and different cultures and races. I really never was able to think about other people views and religions and was very close minded. The diversity of the class also made things interesting because we could hear the perspectives of people who were different from us. I also think that everyone in the class felt comfortable enough to be open and honest about there opinion. Its important that people don’t feel scared to voice their opinion and have to worry that others would be ridiculed. Growing up going to a Catholic school I was never around a very diverse group of people. My town was primarily made up of mostly white people and in my Catholic school I was never in groups of people who were very different from me in culture, race, or religion. I would not have considered myself to be a racist person but I was never faced with people who were different from me. Coming to college was a whole new experience for me based on culture and people different from me. After attending this class I really learned how to embrace different cultures and perspectives from mine. It helped me to learn that just because people have different ideas from me doesn’t mean that their ideas are wrong. And sometimes when faced with these differences in people’s opinion I might even come to agree with them if i really listen to their thoughts an ideas. The way of learning made the class more interesting as well. I liked that we didn’t have to take notes in the class. It was easier to pay attention to the lectures and be actively involved in the class without taking notes and becoming distracted. I also think the use of different types of media helped to make the class interesting as well as the involvement of the class and the guest speakers. Watching movies, music videos, etc. associated the material with real life experiences and made it not only easier to remember but actively applicable to our everyday lives. Getting the students involved also made it easier to remember concepts and to stay interested in the classes. I would absolutely recommend this class to my friends. I think that this is a good class for everyone to experience. I think this class would especially be an eye opener to anyone who has raciest tendencies because it forces them to look through a new perspective.
Coming into this class, I did not really know what to expect. This is my first semester at main campus, and this is my biggest class. After the first day, I instantly knew that this was going to be my favorite class. I have always been an easy going kid and got along with everyone. I have friends of all different races and have accepted these people all my life. But before this class I’ve never really backed away from making somewhat racial comments around my white friends. My friends and I always like to joke around and have a good time and sometimes racial jokes can be funny. But after hearing all the lectures on the topic, I have noticed myself not making any more comments like I did before. I don’t even really find them funny any longer and whenever I head one of my friends say something I just keep quiet and just tell him to chill out a little bit. Throughout the semester I grew such a greater appreciation for races that had it a lot harder than I did growing up. On the LGBT issue, this was the one that really got me deep down. After hearing Sam really laying it out there and being so open and comfortable with us who can even be considered strangers to him made me gain a new respect for him. He really made me think differently about gays and lesbians. I was never against gays but never really respected them at all either. About 6 weeks ago if a guy were to come to me and hit on me, I would probably be upset and say something to the guy. But now after all of our lectures, I would probably not find it offensive at all and brush it off. All in all, I am very happy that I entered Soc 119 this semester. Not only were the lectures very inspiring but I enjoyed the discussion groups as well. I really liked hearing what other people had to say about major issues in the world and the class in general. I would advise anyone to take this course because like people say I really do think it could be life changing for some people.
This semester has been… enlightening. Yeah, that’s the word I want to use. I came into this class not expecting much, but hoping I would be proved wrong. And I was. The only other Soc class I took was pretty lame, and I spent my time counting how often my professor said “you guys” which she did, a lot. But a couple of my friends told me to take so I did, and I’m glad I did.
I learned how unique my family situation is. I was always aware that my family is not “normal” but I never thought about how not different it was. I appreciate that I have had experiences that nobody else ever will. It was strange being called out in my discussion section because I’m related to more black people than some people in my section have met. That was a wake up call. I wish I had opened up earlier in the semester, but nobody else did, so I kept quiet. It’s easy to do if you’ve been practicing it for most of your life. I keep a lot of things to myself, because I worry about how people will treat me if they know about my brothers. It used to make me angry, to meet people who are so closed minded. I would hate them for hating my brothers. Hate is such a poisonous thing. This class has helped me let go of some of that anger, I can’t expect everyone to be cool, or to get it. And I get that now.
This class has made me appreciate how cool my mom is. Yeah, I know that sounds lame, but it’s the truth. She may not have been the best mom growing up, but she taught me a lot, and I didn’t realize that until I sat in 100 Thomas and listened to lectures that seemed like common sense to me, but that my classmates had never thought about.
I wish I had gone to all the classes about the stages of racial identity. The lectures I did go to seemed really interesting, and I found myself trying to identify the stages my friends are in. That was entertaining, but my friends didn’t appreciate it much. Maybe I should have kept my thoughts to myself. Oh well, they got over it. I loved when we talked about the strings that are connected to all of us. I’ve tried really hard to cut the strings that tie me to my family, to do better than my mom and my brothers did. I thought that I was some how better than them, that I deserved better than them. The strings lecture helped me realize that I can do better without completing cutting all the strings; that my strings shape who I am. That’s pretty cool, and kind of freeing.
At the end of the day, I really liked this class. It made me think, not in the way math and science do, but in a good way. And I’m looking forward to Soc 300 next semester.
I never thought I could take so much out of a class. In a matter of just a few months, I have never had so many things about race and ethnicity pointed out to me. As college students, few of us really sit back and take the time out of our “busy” days to think about the world around us, the people around us, and ourselves. When I first heard Sam speak, I knew we thought very similarly. I often questioned things about religion, people of different races, etc., but I never went past the questioning. Having Sam as a crutch really helped me take a lot from this class. The fact that he was so open about his life and his habits made me feel comfortable sharing my life with others around me. I was told to take this class by a few friends, and I was further convinced by the great comments on ratemyprofessors.com, but I never pictured Sam as the person that he is. His comments about blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics, rednecks, so on and so forth, were ridiculous. I could not believe the words that came out of his mouth at some points throughout the semester. Also, his approach to class, “We’re all going to die. Who cares? You could drop dead right now,” made me take him more seriously and life a little less seriously. That one comment really did take a lot of stress off of me. Everything about this class made me more aware of what I would say around others. Being from Texas, there are plenty of stereotypes about Hispanics and blacks, so when I came up here and made some of my jokes, nobody really got them. Not only this, but when I came up here, I was being stereotyped as a “terrorist” (jokingly, of course), a Texan, and many other things. I got a taste of my own medicine, and I realized that words really do have an impact on others.
Another thing I loved about class was how Sam seemed to focus on certain ethnicities on different days. The one mind-blowing class about terrorism and the war really opened my mind. I felt a little uncomfortable at first when videos of Muslims saying that all others will die were being played. Then, Sam played the videos of what white people and others in the war were doing. I loved how he made the entire class put themselves in the shoes of the Arabs. I feel like that really opened up everyone’s eyes.
Another thing that was a huge eye-opener for me was my recitation. The first day that I walked in, I saw a group of diverse people. I did not know what to expect, and there was quite a bit of awkwardness. Now, after leaving the last recitation, there was no awkwardness. I got to know my entire group pretty well. We had conversations with our peers and TAs that I have not even had with some of my closest friends. We had discussions about gender roles, LGBT, stereotyping, and many other things, and I thought everyone would think the same as me, but this was not the case. There were many things that a lot of the class did agree on, and likewise, there were things that we did not see eye to eye on. Some guys were not okay with homosexuality. Being that I have a gay cousin, I am. One girl stayed quiet because she did not want to cause conflict from how much she disagreed with the views of the rest of the class. I can honestly say that I saw the real sides of people in my recitation, and I am very grateful for that. No matter how awkward something got, we were all able to come back every Wednesday and laugh about things and still be able to discuss serious matters.
I see myself as a more open-minded person now. I see myself as a more accepting person now. Not to say that I was neither of these before, but I am just more of these now. This class was an eye-opener. That is the best way I can describe it. Thank you all for a great semester.
Soc 119 has been my most favorite class so far in college and I’m willing to bet that no other class can top it. This was completely contradictory to what I thought the class would be: boring class lectures that leave me wanting to sleep. However, this class has totally changed the way I think about not only myself, but the world around me. Sam Richards does a fantastic job creating that ‘wrestling’ feeling that occurs in your mind, making you think long and hard on the topics covered. I have even found myself deep in thought after lecture class on my way back to my room, mulling over all the information. I could find that I agreed with many of Sam’s thoughts on the issues, or at the very least understand him. I just can’t believe that someone could be so close-minded (the LGBT outrage) that they storm out of class and insult the professor. Sam’s goal was never to create controversy, but instead make us think outside the small shells of our lives.
I would say that the best subject covered (i.e. the ‘best class ever’) was the lecture on the war in Iraq. Before the lecture, I was on the fence whether or not we should be there, oil or WMDs regardless, but I thought that we should at least reform their government and help the people. It was interesting to learn how everything was fine in Iraq before the war and especially amazing to see the pictures of the families over there. The fear video that Sam showed was truly frightening, but what I was thinking was that I am afraid of terrorists and the extreme radicals, not of a nation of an entire people. That is why I was confused we invaded Iraq in the first place. Then it became clear when Sam said that the main purpose for going there was oil, and I was just disgusted. Acting like a Muslim, I would definitely be discontent with someone stealing my resources. The most surprising part was the videos of the soldiers crushing a family’s car or running a car off the road. I couldn’t believe what I was watching; these actions were totally unbecoming of a soldier.
Now I’m not much for reading, and in all honesty I didn’t read Making Peace Between Our Colors, but none of the books could have been more of an eye opener than Disposable People. When Sam said that slavery still existed today at the beginning of the semester, I thought of things like sweat-shops. Once I read Disposable People, I was appalled. I couldn’t believe that slavery was occurring all over the world, where people are being degraded and treated as some lowly animal.
Overall, this is an amazing class that’s worth anybody’s time, regardless of major. The ideas and viewpoints discussed will definitely stay with me forever.
There really has been a lot to this course that has changed the way I think and opened my eyes to different ideas. Whether it was the readings, the lecture, the blog, or the discussion group, there have been different things that changed my perspectives on varying topics.
The combination of the books and the facts in lecture showed me about how different ancestries have different stereotypes and from where they originated. It was really interesting to me to read about all the slavery occurring across the world, even to this day. It is pretty disappointing to see how there is so much corruption and all the things that are swept under the rug by the governing bodies of countries. It was surprising to see how prostitution and slavery (or debt bondage) are significant parts of the economy in many countries.
Though I may not agree with Sam’s views on certain subjects, I appreciate his opinion because he supports it with facts and figures. People tend to say he pushes his views on us, but it’s important to go into his lecture with your mind open, so you can put yourself in the shoes of the group he is discussing that day. The first time we heard we were going to have the “best class ever” when we were put in the shoes of Arabs, was a very powerful class. I think it was important, and most people, especially in the United States, don’t think in a way that they would ever do something like that.
The blogs made me think more about what was going on in the world. I tended to comment more on the blogs related to current events, because I don’t pay attention to current events otherwise. I like the idea of having to write a certain length for each entry, because it forces you to think more than a single sentence comment and go a bit deeper into the topic and explore the subject more.
My favorite part of this class was the discussion group. We talked about everything and anything, and really opened up to each other as a group. We listened to each other, and everyone stated their opinion and we built ideas from each other’s thoughts. We all asked each other questions to find out more about what they meant, and it was a great experience to be able to talk and laugh and share our true feelings on a subject. We had a room full of respect, and though we may have looked very homogenous from the outside, we had various ideas and opinions and learned about each other. I looked forward to our conversations each week, and felt very comfortable sharing my thoughts with them and was interested in what they had to say about them.
One of the things that really stood out to me in this class throughout the semester was how calm of a class it ended up being. The topics that we discuss in class are ones that usually tend to polarize people one way or the end. These are topics that are some of the most disputed in the world today. Everyone has their own opinions and they usually hold their beliefs on these ideas very strongly. The fact that throughout the whole semester the class stayed respectful of each other is a good sign of progress. The stories that are in the entry “What are you thinking” are ones that were common place with these topics not that long ago. As new generations come along though it seems that people are more and more excepting of the beliefs and actions of others. I am not saying that everyone is at peace with everyone else’s decisions throughout the country, but people seem to at the least be more polite when discussing these topics with others. The class may not be one hundred percent the same as the real world though because it is a class about race relations and we all decided to take the class. This shows that most of the people in the class are looking to gain a better understanding about other groups. This does not change the fact that for 14 weeks there has not been an argument or anything type of outburst from anyone in the class. Everyone has managed to state their opinions but in a way that is respectful to others in the class. This is defiantly a step in the positive direction though. The more people that are willing to be respectful of others and their beliefs will keep us going in the right direction towards being more respectful of everyone. This is what is necessary if we are going to move forward as a people. As the diversity of our country continues to grow the more that this type of thought will become more and more necessary.
The recent election has shown that as a country we are able to change and this class showed a lot as to why this has occurred. The fact that we are now able to discuss things in calm manners is essential to progress being made throughout the country. The fact that we have made enough progress that Obama was elected is a sign that we have moved forward and will continue to move forward. Being able to communicate with each is necessary for the country to continue to grow and prosper. The country is having some problems now but for once the problems are not between different groups throughout the country. If we continue on this path we will be able to recover and move forward.
As fast as this semester when by, I have came a long way since the begging of this class. Soc 119 is something I would like to call an “eye opener.” You are not the same person as you were before the class began. It doesn’t matter how much you think you know or how not racist you think you are, you are still going to gain something from this class that you will benefit from for the rest of your life. When I came into this class I thought I knew a lot about race and ethnicity, but apparently I didn’t even know who I was. Just because I had “been around the block” and been in many “high tension” situations I thought I knew it all. About black, Hispanic, Asian, and everything else. I thought I knew it all but it wasn’t until one of the lectures that I realized I am white. The kid who lived in diverse areas, worked in all sorts of businesses from retail, construction, as a mechanic thought he had experienced it all, but never realized he was white. This is why I say the class is an “eye opener,” it teaches you what it truly means to step outside of your box. And after listening to a comedian talk about being white and saying “if you don’t acknowledge your white, then you are stupid” (or something along those lines). Well, I felt pretty dumb after hearing that. Before this class I never acknowledged being white. Whenever I looked at race and ethnic issues I never looked at the white side, just what I can see from “my point of view.” Every time there was some kind of issue it was always the black guy or the Spanish girl, but never the white man. But after this lecture, my world turned upside down. I remember thinking about it for the whole day, what does it mean to be white? I thought I was so far ahead in race issues and knew so much, but I didn’t even know who I was. Ironically, it was kind of funny at the same time, like a slap in the face. But you live and learn and that’s what I did, I learned and embraced everything this class teaches from that day on. It was my awakening in class that day. I had been in many other situations before to deal with this, but had never opened my eye wide enough to see that I am white. I have a diverse background, being Spanish, Italian, polish, but I am white. I never looked at it this way. It was so much more convenient then trying I identify as everything you think you are to just being “white.” This isn’t everything that I had gotten from the class though, it was just something that I thought about and was pretty cool. To look at your side of the race table, which is something I never did before. Like many others I always wanted to point fingers at everyone else, but never looked at myself. Even white people have race issues. Everyone has race issues and it isn’t until you can look at yourself can you start to make progress in race relations.
When I first took this class I was a bit nervous. I knew it was going to be a fun class because I had taken sociology 001 with professor Richards and I think he is a great professor. However, when it comes to exams I was scared because in Sociology 001 I didn’t do well, but then I realized it was because I was a freshman and I wasn’t use to college exams like now. What actually worried me the most about the class, was the weekly group discussions. I am a bit shy, but in the group discussion I noticed that I was wrong and that when a topic that I had an opinion about I would share it with the rest of the group. From the group what I can remember the most is a discussion we had. I think it was like the second group meeting in which we were discussing about the terrorists event in the United States and the Iraq war. I remember this one guy strongly believed we should be in Iraq and that the war there was the right thing to do. At one point I asked the other student the question if he thought that we were actually there because we wanted to combat terrorism or because we wanted oil. The student started stating that we should be there and his overall point was to generalize about the whole country. He was implying that we should attack because everyone in the nation was for terrorism. However I was amazed that he would say that because not because a group of people did something wrong it means that we should judge everyone the same way. Not everyone is a terrorist. After that time I learned the when I believe in something I should defend it. From here on when I had a very strong viewpoint about a topic I would express my opinion and say reasons for it. I also thought that one of the best’s lectures in class was the one on Islam. It was interesting how professor Richards made the entire class for a moment place themselves on the shoes of others. Very quickly people make decisions without putting themselves in the shoes of others and only sticking to one side of the story. Another thing that happened in class and I had never seen it in any other classes was that Professor Richard almost fell one day in class. I didn’t want to laugh but I had too. I was actually very close to him when he almost fell. Overall I thought the class was very interesting and good. I would recommend it to other students because it opens your mind to so many issues and unknown things. I think that the university should make this class mandatory because it really teaches people about things that in other classes we don’t get taught, which is the real issue with race and society.
Can’t believe that this is the last journal of the semester. Time flies and that is for sure. This semester of SOC 119 has completely been an eye-opening experience for me. I have learned so much not just about other races and cultures, but also about myself as a person. I have learned our world in the eyes of so many different people that would probably never have happened if I was not in SOC 119. I think the biggest thing I have learned from this class is how crazy this world really is. We don’t live in a day and age where everything is black and white. Things go deeper and are more complex.
In our last discussion group, I talked about how now everything I see or do somehow comes back to race. I think this can be a bad thing and also a good thing. I can honestly say that I never really looked at things through the race lens. I was definitely aware of it, but it wasn’t something that I paid much attention to. People who were they were and I just accepted that. After this class I find that somehow everything goes back to race. White, Black, Spanish, Asian, Middle Eastern, and so on, race is just a part of everyday life.
The one story I shared was about how recently on my Thanksgiving trip home I was on the bus and realized “Race”. I live in Connecticut and the people on the bus tend to be the stereotypical “white, rich, people from CT”. I have taken the bus my four years at Penn State, but this past break I realized that I was the only non-white person. I didn’t really care and didn’t pay much attention to it. As the bus ride proceeded some of the girls were complaining about credit cards and daddy not paying it. I became annoyed after a while and was thinking to myself “ freakin white people”. I know that is the wrong thing to think, but its the truth. I caught myself in the middle and told myself why am I even thinking that. SOC 119 has really taught me how to realize and deal with this situation.
The class has made me realize that in the end we must be more open to other people and their culture. Maybe me calling them “freakin white people” is just my way of dealing with being annoyed. Actually analyzing situations is something I have taken away from SOC 119. I think the other beautiful thing that I have taken from class is how race relations is so prevalent in our society and how it plays a major role in everyday life. This class has really been an eye-opening class and been one of my favorite classes at Penn State.
I have absolutely no regrets in taking Soc 119 this fall. The class was basically my recreation class. I’ve never been so excited to attend each session of a class in my entire life. I come from a small town where everyone has basically the same viewpoint on every issue. In my area, people are raised on the morals and beliefs of their parents. As much as I don’t want to say it, I consider a lot of my area to be a little racist. I have also heard people blatantly say they hate gays. I have never taken on any of these beliefs but I also haven’t done anything about them either. I always kind of turned a blind eye to those thoughts because I was never really exposed to anything else. I’m truly happy for the opportunities I have had at Penn State. Even though most people would agree that State College and Penn State are like 99 percent white, I see it completely different. My home town of only 4,000 people is like 99 percent white, so for me, Penn State is pretty diverse. Before coming to Penn State, I can safely say I have never been close friends with anyone much different than myself. Asian, African, Jewish, African, you name it… Basically all I have ever been around are white Mennonites and Catholics. Sam’s Soc 119 class has done amazing things for opening up my mind and exposing me to different issues that are taking place nationally and globally. He has showed me how to look at life through a completely different view. I have a much stronger opinion now when people make derogatory or hateful remarks about certain groups and races. I think its hilarious thinking he was listed as one of the most dangerous professors in the nation. I think he is by far the best professor I have had. Each class gives each individual an opportunity to not only grow academically but also as a person. Sam is probably the most honest and open person I have ever heard talk publically. Some of the stuff he says in class is completely outrageous but also true at the same time. He is literally not kidding when he says he isn’t afraid to talk about anything. His class demands an open mind and also for you to think differently. I would be willing to bet that every person that takes soc 119 has at least one of their viewpoints changed within the semester. I am so happy I took this class and I am glad that this opportunity exists for other students. I will never forget taking this class because I will forever live my life in a different way because of it.
I believe my mental awakening, in respects to seeing the world for what is it, without the rose colored glasses began in 7th grade in my social studies course when my teacher, Ms. Seabrook, had us read a few chapters of Howard Zinn’s book, A People’s History of the United States. I learned for the first time that things weren’t all roses and rainbows when the pilgrims first came over but instead it was a morbidly horrid scene where the pilgrims survived by digging up graves and devouring the flesh of their fellow travelers. I learned for the first time that throughout history corporations would go by drastic measures to increase their profits including killing their own workers. I learned that the United States is not quite the gem that it tries to portray to its citizens as.
One of the things that I try to do to keep myself educated on worldly issues is that I actually read. Yeah, it’s a shock I know, most of my friends in college wouldn’t go near a book unless it was assigned, which is extremely unsettling. In our last group discussion class we had our name on a blank piece of paper and then we passed it to the person to our right and everyone wrote their impressions about that. My sheet was full of my classmates saying how informed and opinionated I was and how “smart” I seemed. Everyone else has the capacity to be as informed as myself but they just have to have the desire to understand the world around them. During my discussion groups and also during Sam’s lectures there seems to be an alarming degree of apathy and indifference concerning issues that outside ones bubble, meaning they aren’t directly affected necessarily on a daily basis with these issues that require critical thinking. For example, in my discussion group whenever I bring up topics such as the wars or any significant worldly issue the majority of the students in the group remain mute but when the issue of dating or what it would be like to go without a cell phone is mentioned everyone somehow seems to summon compassionate responses. This is extremely frustrating to me and also has me losing faith with my generation. It’s this perpetuation of ignorance amongst even my peers that strengthen the mighty tree of stupidity that feed our population.
I believe that learning is a continuous process. The world is dynamic and always changing so it’s imperative to understand why things change to the best of one’s ability. I just hope my classmates will put down the remote and pick up a book with me then there will no telling what we can accomplish together.
I have only positive experiences about this Sociology 119 class. I feel that is pretty cliché to say “this class has really opened my eyes”, but that is honestly the first reaction that comes to mind. I especially enjoy the recitation portion of the class. The lectures usually prove to be very moving, but sometimes it can be very hard to pay attention for the duration of the one hour and 15 minutes. The recitation, however, gives keeps me interested and constantly ignites me to spark conversation and make potentially raucous comments. I don’t mean to speak down on the lecture and have my opinions become misconstrued, because the lecture is definitely interesting. In fact, my sociology lecture is one of the few classes that I actually look forward to attending. I know I am going to hear some sort of interesting information, and am not going to be bored to death by some mundane topic. That being said, I just sometimes have trouble staying attentive the entire time because the class is an hour and fifteen minutes. If all of the classes were in the same format of the recitation with a small group of people I think I would get much more out of class. Nonetheless, I am definitely glad that I took this class and would recommend it to anybody.
I think I actually got very lucky with my recitation. My TAs had mentioned that their other recitation was almost all white and that the people did not speak very freely. My recitation is completely opposite from that. It’s very diverse, especially for a class at Penn State. It’s unbelievable if you look at the figures for overall groups of minorities compared to the percentages of minorities in our recitation. This has led to some very riveting discussion groups because everyone minority brings a different perspective to the mix. To give an example, we were discussing the language barrier that arises when foreigners live in America and speak their primary language in the presence of public. One of the students in our class was of Puerto Rican decent, and his father primarily spoke Spanish. He explained that most of his dad’s employees are Spanish speakers as well, and the reason that they spoke in Spanish in front of customers that it was simply a matter of inconvenience. If they said a given phrase in English, then it would take longer to say because they would have to mentally convert the statement to English from Spanish. This is just one of many examples of the different sorts of influences our class experienced. I almost decided to become a TA next semester because I enjoyed the recitation so much, but in the end I decided that I couldn’t handle the three hour class that is mandatory. However, I am taking Sociology 1 with Sam Richards next semester that just goes to show how much I enjoyed taking this class.
When I first walked into this class I had no idea what it is about and I didn’t know what to expect. Being in such a big class like this I felt very different. The first few weeks I didn’t really understand about the class much but later I got to know more people in the class and I was able to connected more with people and Sam more in class so it helped me to understand it better. This class just amazing because I think the professor can grab everybody attention in that class and he is always clearly to what he has to say. Sometimes I felt like students overacted to what Sam said in class and he came up with whole of bunch of conversation and I felt like they were having an argument sometimes. Every day I thought about this class that we could have a long semester but it is sad to know we only 2 more classes together. There was nothing I could expect more for this class because I think Sam is one of the amazing professor, he just bring 711 people together for the whole entire class period and makes them focus on one thing. It has been a bless so far being in class with other 710 students. I wish I could understand more than I am now because I am bilingual so I wasn’t able to understand much stuffs at all from this class but at least I tried my best and I have a tutor with Michelle who is working full time for Sam every Monday evening from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm which makes my life easier to get involve with other people in this class and I am always wonder and have questions when Sam bring people up to the front of the class and pointed out people from different countries. I thought it was a little racist for my first 2 classes with Sam but later I knew that this class was about race identity and it help people to understand better of our own race and others as well. After this semester I will recommend some of my friends to take this course and I heard that Sam said next semester will be a great semester and I thought it was kind of funny when he said to us that this semester is suck. Well he was just messing around so I didn’t think it was much of a big deal. I hope I will get the opportunity to sit in this class sometimes next semester when I have times off from study and some of my other classes so I will be able to come to this class and listen to Sam.
Honestly I must say this was by far one of my favorite classes this year. I enjoyed Sam’s lectures (well most of them for that matter) as well as our discussion groups. There were quite a few lectures that Sam really got me to think and opened my mind to different situations. Normally I consider myself a really open minded person, but Sam really showed me how to REALLY become open minded and see things from an entirely new perspective. I still think, even though Sam would overuse this phrase a lot through out the semester, the lecture about ethnocentrism. Where he talked about the war and told people to bring there friends and family. That lecture, in my opinion, was the one that really made me raise the bar as to start thinking outside the box and open my eyes to different situations that most people tend to be naïve about. Sam had so many lectures like this, which makes me wonder why people don’t like him. Maybe it’s the closed mindedness or maybe it’s the fact that some people refused or couldn’t see the big pictures that Sam would try to express. It always made me wonder just how Sam became so open minded. I use to joke around and say that he used to travel around the world and met with some mysterious people and smoke some magical stuff and learned through that, but hey who knows.
Another thing I must say I enjoyed was the discussion groups. They gave me the opportunity to hear how other people thought outside the class. However my expectations for the discussion groups were kind of high and really weren’t met. For example I really wanted people to say what they REALLY thought about certain situation. I actually wanted people to get in to heated discussions but I never wanted to be the one to say “let’s do this”. I guess that was my own fault. But the last meeting we had I gave the idea for people to write some questions that would kind of raise some eyebrows and bring some uncomfortable discussions. It was too bad we didn’t get to hear them all but some them were good. For example one question brought up the topic if minorities could be considered as racist as white people. I really thought it was a good question to stir up some things. I wont lie this was my question and I really wanted people to give some heated answers but hey everyone still seemed to play the safe route with this exercise. To sum up, I really enjoyed this class. It made me think in way that I never did. I just hope other were impacted as much as I was and for the people who just took the class for the hell of it and didn’t even try to learn….suck for you. Because you’re going to die anyway so why not learn a few things!?!?
This class has really taught me a lot about myself and the people around me. After every class, I felt that I had been provoked to think. This semester between this class and another cultural class, I have really been asked to step up and become the person I used to be, more so than the person I became last year. Last year, it was easy for me to step down from the person with the “crazy” ideas and ideals and become complacent. But, this year I have been able to come back to a place where I am passionate, caring, and thoughtful. I also realized a couple of things about myself that I had never really realized or thought about. When Sam talked about LGBT issues, he mentioned something about whether we would be offended when someone of the opposite sex said that they liked us or thought we looked good. His point was that if you aren’t offended at this, why would you be upset if someone of the same sex did this? Neither of these scenarios really has any personal impact on your life if you do not reciprocate. But, I realized that I am actually not comfortable with the first situation either. This class, in particular, actually made me think about how I have gotten physically ill whenever I have found out people like me and that I do not like them back. This sort of made me try to figure out why this was happening and what made me feel really uncomfortable, which led me to look at the strings in my life that make me the way I am. These strings affect my views on relationships with friends, family, and significant others. I think this really made me step up and see that I need to redefine some boundaries in my life, because I have let strings make me a very untouchable and closed person emotionally and physically. I know I used to never speak about anything personal, but in the past couple of months I have tried to open up a little more. I think that before I try to change the world, I need to “be the change I wish to see,” in the words of Gandhi. The class has not taught me that I am a racist, but I do feel like it helped me see the racial identity stages I have been through and have yet to go through. Some of my personal ideas and beliefs concerning race relations were confirmed, while others were challenged and molded. I know that I used to downplay a lot of what was deemed racism, because my parents and family always made me feel people of color, mainly Al Sharpton, were “crying wolf,” so to speak. I also see that a lot of the friends I have made have been the reason that I have changed my ideas about people. Making friends with diverse people is the way to change views and misconceptions we hold about others. I would strongly suggest making friends with more people who are not of your same background. It makes life more fun!
Like many other people have admitted, I also decided to take this class because a friend of mine told me about it. She had said, “That professor is nuts, but awesome! You have to experience it! I don’t even get high and I still enjoyed it!” (When she said that, I didn’t understand what she was talking about, but after taking the course, it makes perfect sense)
I decided for this entry that I would mention a few of the things that really stuck out to me in the class as well as topics I did and didn’t like. First off: genetics. It really made me think when we learned that 99.99% of people are the same and the only difference is the 0.01% of outward appearances. It makes me wonder that if we’re really that close, then why do people still choose to discriminate? If we’re really that close, why do I feel different communicating with an Asian or black person versus a white person? If 99.99% of people are the same, shouldn’t those things be different?
Another class that I really enjoyed was the discussion on LGBT relations. Sam started out by talking about sins. He said, “The sins that we don’t commit, we point out to others. The sins that we do commit don’t stick out as being wrong.” I never realized this point until he brought it up. Why is it that different sins have different weight? In the eyes of God, if you commit any sin, you go to hell. But here, we see killing someone as bad, but going out every weekend and getting smashed into oblivion as a good time. I don’t get it.
Anywho, in the same lecture Sam talked a lot about homosexuality and homophobia. I don’t understand why people are homophobic in the first place. It’s not like because people are gay they are going to try to persuade you to think like them or even like them. It’s like me as a girl going to a guy and asking him to be a girl. It just doesn’t make sense. With the LGBT lecture, Sam points out that most people are bisexual, that no one is 100% either way. I agree with this statement whole-heartedly. Most people wouldn’t admit to agreeing with this point, but it’s what makes life fun. After all, you’re going to die sooner or later.
I loved going to this class, I really did, but there was one time I really felt offended and I’m not even sure why. It was the time Sam was explaining how white people don’t use washcloths because they are pure or clean. I know it wasn’t him who came up with that philosophy, but I think it is complete bullshit. Since I am white, you would think I would agree and say, “Oh yeah, white people are awesome!” But I don’t feel that way. The whole idea of it just disgusts me.
I enjoyed this class and learned a lot about “stuff” and a lot about myself, too. I would definitely recommend it to other students. Sam’s examples and talks about ethnocentrism really hit home. It’s so awesome how a professor can connect with his students in that way. So I leave with one final thought that I have been thinking about since the last class. Does eating the second piece of chocolate make me a bad or ignorant person? Does it really matter? What can I do… I’m just gonna die eventually anyways…
I have thoroughly enjoyed this class. I come from York, PA. I refer to this place as my “bubble.” This bubble is unaffected by any outside happenings, so saying that I was sheltered is an understatement. In Sociology 119, the first class that really made an impact on me was the class on ethnocentrism and putting ourselves in a Muslims shoes. I’ve grown up in a military family. The typical, all-American, patriotic crew. My dad is admittedly and openly prejudiced against Muslims. When I was sitting in class, I was feeling uncomfortable because I was hearing my father’s opinions in my head and struggling with trying to take myself out of that place – in order to understand how the Muslims feel. It took a lot of effort but I eventually did. I went home that weekend and tried to explain it to my father and mother. They didn’t accept it at all and no matter what I said, they wouldn’t open their minds. I decided to drop it but the idea stayed with me.
The second class that made an incredible impact on myself was the LGBT class. I’ve always known I was straight. Don’t get me wrong, I love men – but I’ve always had feelings that I questioned. I kind of blocked them out because I didn’t understand them. When I learned that Sam said that most people find an attraction to the same sex (whether it’s sexual/emotional/curiosity/whatever). He also said that in a way, we are all bi-sexual. This is unbelievably interesting to me. It answered a lot of questions. I feel as though EVERYONE might feel these things… however insignificant or major.
The most recent class that has been very impacting was the class on the new slavery in Africa. After reading Disposable People, my eyes were opened to the new types of slavery all around the world. When eating that piece of bittersweet chocolate, I figured something epic was about to “go down.” After eating the chocolate, we watched the video – and it didn’t bother me too much (relatively speaking/it definitely was unsettling) until the man at the end said, “I wouldn’t have anything nice to them (the people eating the chocolate), those people are eating my flesh.” Eating his flesh? That’s very graphic and to be honest, I didn’t eat the second piece. Yes, I know that it’s pointless because I’ve already had a chocolate ice cream sandwich today – but when something like that is in your face, it’s hard to cope. I felt guilty. I felt shame. It has taken a lot of thinking to get around those things – but I am “wrestling” with it now instead.
All in all, I’m very thankful for this class. It has had a huge impact on me and I appreciate every word that Sam has to say. It has opened up a door in my mind about race, slavery, LGBT issues and a million other things. I feel like everyone should take this class. It expands your mind and helps you learn more about yourself and the others around you.
After reading the article entitled, “The Solution to the Race Dilemma”, I realized the world is changing more and more everyday. Yes, most people do not wish to talk about the difficult issue of race, but if this the product of fear; it cannot be overcome by courage. The way to overcome this fear is to be more accepting of other races, and being more willing to listen to others without judging or misjudging their statements. The reason most people stay silent is because they realize that most people will judge what they say based on the color of their skin. This is why I believe that the first step to overcoming the silence that separates different races is to be more accepting of the different walks of life, and experiences that people have had with race, and trying to understand their point of view. People in today’s world are completely different from people a decade ago. Things that are the norm now were thought of as strange and different back then. The breakthroughs in technology of skin pigmentation are amazing. People can now change there skin color from black to white over a couple of surgeries. There is a whole new market out there now involving lotions for skin coloration weather it is to lighten the skin or darken it. White people now tan and try to look as dark as possible because people in today’s society like to see darker people. There are now fake tanning booths years ago people would laugh at the idea of fake tanning booths. The thing about today’s society is that the even have professional actors and sports athletes doing the surgeries. Which in turn sends a message to the public saying it’s okay to do it nothing bad going to happen to you. For example, the late Michael Jackson was a big example of this phenomenon. People loved him and still do; people got the surgery just because of him. However doing these surgeries and changing the natural color of your skin just to fit in is not natural. The side effects of the surgery and crèmes can be devastating and unfortunately was shown in the death of Michael Jackson. Now with this Sammy Sosa allegation it’s making matters worse. People should not be changing their skin color, it’s not worth it. People are just doing it to fit in and it’s ridiculous to be thinking about doing this to yourself. It’s just going to make matters worse in the end and will eventually catch up to you in the end. The idea of changing your natural skin tone is not even funny. The norm today has changed completely and people have to get over it.
My father is a clinical psychologist and my mother is a director at an Employee Assistant Program. My grades here at Penn State are infrequently questioned and I have always been given the independence to figure things out on my own. This may be interpreted as poor parenting, but I’ve learned that I possess some rare, valuable qualities that separate me from my classmates. While Soc 119 is certainly both a provoking and engaging class, I really feel as though a lot of people had truly never thought or considered many of the concepts brought up in class. Not undermining Sam, because his lectures really brilliantly convey important messages, but I simply feel as though I am somewhat disappointed in the collective awe of most the people I’ve talked to; some who have previously taken the class and some who are currently taking it. Maybe it’s because I have aging hippy parents, but I’ve learned to help people, question what people say and what people believe, and above all – think for myself.
While this class has helped me better understand the topics discussed, it has more importantly revealed the idea that people really can go through their life never considering things that don’t directly affect their personal lives. And even more disturbing, I am sure that those people, who have no interest in thinking outside their comfortable boundaries, would never dream of scheduling a class such as Race Relations. In reading the responses to this post, I see that other people have said similar things, reaffirming that I am not the only one who is disappointed by people who simply just suck up information and take it as true and accurate.
I am traveling to Honduras at the end of this month. In will teaching children how to use toothbrushes, how to stay hydrated, and how to be confident with whom they are. I will also be putting in cement floors and water filtration systems throughout the village where I will be staying. While service projects and volunteering has and will always be a part of my life, Sam’s class had helped me understand the importance of experiencing people and cultures first-hand. The only true way to understand and move forward with our understanding of other cultures and people is to fully submerge ourselves in such situations. When I travel to Honduras, I will be sleeping on the floor of a mud hut, eating the food of the people, and simply sharing a home with a family of a different language than my own; all in the effort to better understand their daily struggles and share with them any knowledge I may have that will help benefit them in the future. Teaching, not giving, is the most valuable way of spreading power, acceptance, and unity.
I especially love attending sociology 119, because Sam Richards point blank period gets the job done. He makes the class interesting and has discussions and topics that keep each and every student on the edge of his or her seat. From day one he specifically said that he is not a racist or anything near it, he is teacher who wrestles with every topic and issue that needs to be discussed about all races and genders. The in class slides are easy to follow and his lectures are exceptional. He makes me want to show up to every class each week. He incorporates movies, you tube clips, and guest speakers into every class. Sam recently in last class covered modern day slavery. He simply wanted to raise awareness about the topic, so he thought of a very interesting way to do so in my opinion. He handed out two pieces of chocolate to each student and told us to enjoy one before he started the class. We later figured out that there are still harsh slave owners and conditions in the world today, and slaves manufactured that the very chocolate we ate. Slaves that worked from before the sun came out to when the sun finally went down, harvesting cocoa. At the end of class when everyone discovered how the chocolate was made and brought to us, it made me think well and hard about how fortunate I really am. I am truly blessed because I have never worked for years with any pay, and brutal beatings. Slave owners never emotionally and mentally scarred me in my life. It was sad to see the range of the ages of the slaves who were working to harvest the cocoa. Ages 10-30 at least were interviewed and the harsh torment that we could only imagine was described to the reporters, so that it may seem more like reality. We take life for granted sometimes, and I appreciate Sam raising awareness of all this in his classes. Sam is a down to earth regular guy, who is comfortable around anyone despite race, color, creed etc. Sam’s language and enthusiasm keeps the class lively and keeps the students interested. I know when I was scheduling classes I was recommended to take sociology 119. I was never skeptical, because I was longing for a class that could keep me awake, and thoroughly have me interested for the whole semester. Class as of now has been great because we are always covering a good topic and he always has a video clip or some movie to elaborate on the subject which makes it easier for me to understand at least. I approve of Sam’s message and everything he puts forward in class. He gives every class 200% of his energy.
What did I see in myself? Well before this class started I had never really REALLY thought about most of the issues that we discussed in class with the exception of the Middle East relations class (because I am Azerbaijani- Iranian). I look at myself back then and feel a little sorry for myself. I was really ignorant and also uneducated. I can’t believe some of the things that have opened my eyes. I’m wondering to myself if there is another equal amount of information about something else that I really should know but don’t. If there is then I’m in big trouble. After learning all of the things we have talked about this semester it’s hard for me to remember what my thought processes were like before this class. I have changed so much in the way I think about my relationship with people of different races. All of my friends who are minorities make so much sense to me. I could never understand some of the things they would talk about like “man those cops hate us.” or, “you wouldn’t understand because you’re white.” Now I can honestly say to them “I do understand, at least a little bit.” Now I feel much closer to my friends who are minorities, and I’m pretty sure they feel closer to me now that I can understand them a little better. This is not the only thing I see different in myself.
If you were to ask me a couple months ago my opinion on gay marriage I wouldn’t really have one. Now I have a very strong opinion that it should be legalized. After reading about the two guys in the Crossing the Boulevard I really feel for those guys and I want to help people like that and stand up for them. Whenever I hear someone talk down to gay people I find myself having very strong feelings inside. I don’t thing I am quite at the point where I would yell at them across the street however I would like to have a debate with a few people like that. I know that I am at the fourth stage of race relations but its better than being at stage one as I was when I came here.
I have also changed my views on religion. I never really thought about a few things about religion. Firstly, I never gave a second thought to the fact that Jesus is a middle eastern and nobody ever seems to acknowledge that fact. Another thing that never really crossed my mind is the fact that any sin is a sin and there is not hierarchy of sins. I would like to say that this class was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone in the future.
How in the world are you supposed to summarize the semester we’ve had in soc 119? It was like nothing that I’ve ever experienced before. I have to say that no class in the history of my schooling has ever been hyped up as much as this and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Last year I took a cultural geography class where we learned about similar issues and even watched some of the same videos. For some reason though that class was deathly boring to me and I’ve had a blast so far in Sam’s class. I’ve been struggling with this for a few weeks now wondering why a very similar course was so painful to attend and why soc is the bright spot of my Tuesdays and Thursdays. Obviously Sam is part of the reason. Other than one hipster English teacher I had in high school, there really hasn’t been any teacher I’ve had like him. He knows how to relate with students and that really is hard to find sometimes. I feel a lot of professors now can’t relate to their students and it hurts them in the class room. Sam gets us and that really makes the class work well. I feel that people are so open for conversation when they know that their teacher is on the same wavelength and in a class like race relations, comfort is key. We’ve gone over a lot of issues this year that some people get really uncomfortable talking about. However, we were never without a good dialogue going.
I don’t really know what I’m going to take away from this class. I don’t really think my views changed on a lot of things. I really think that when we looked at the Iraq war from the other perspective was the actual “best class” of the semester. It really is quite a thing to think about. I don’t really follow the war at all but never really put any thought into what kids my age went through in their own country. These are kids just like me and my friends and they have a war in their back yards. That’s something that I could never even begin to grasp in my own mind.
I’ve always been told that soc 119 was the class that you had to take before graduating. As I come to end of my second to last semester here in happy valley, I can say that I’ve had the great pleasure of sitting through one of the most entertaining courses that I’ll ever have. Thought provoking at times. A guaranteed good laugh at least once per class. An hour and fifteen minutes twice a week that definitely brightened my week.
To me, coming to Soc 119 was a pleasure. While I did not always agree with Sam on certain issues, the learning environment promoted thinking, something that I believe people rarely do. Unfortunately, university is set up to promote classrooms where information is found in books, memorized, and regurgitated purely for the sake of testing. To the contrary, the Soc 119 classroom was a safe place to discuss issues.
Some people in my discussion group had expressed the fact that they thought Sam was always “preaching.” I couldn’t agree less. While I see Sam’s opinion in a lot of his lectures, I HAVE NEVER FELT MY OPINION WAS TRYING TO BE SWAYED. His classroom was simply a place to address the issues. The important thing was never about finding a solution, but rather identifying that the problems themselves existed. There comes a point where I believe that is not enough. It is our job as humans to better the world we live in, for ourselves and future generations, by taking our knowledge and applying it to the issues at hand.
I think more often than not, Sam was intentionally controversial for the sake of “stirring the pot” or making people think. Often times, we talk to people just like us who would never challenge the opinions we have (because they probably share similar thoughts). In Soc 119, Sam expressing his desires to be with a man or having students put themselves in the shoes of someone from the Middle East gives us the opportunity to hear and feel things that would have otherwise been overlooked by many.
Overall, I thought class always had an upbeat feel. Even when the topic was something eye opening or disheartening, Sam always had a way of breaking up the material and keeping people on their toes. Whether it be a slight joke or an interesting youtube video, I found myself continually wondering what was next.
Something that really stuck with me from class was Sam expressing potentially homosexual feelings to a room of about 800 people he really does not know. To this day, I have no way of knowing whether he really means that or not but the shock that it caused to the class was educational in itself. To me, I couldn’t care less if Sam wanted to be with a man, but the reaction of the room taught me something about people. Why is it that if the class were asked their feelings on homosexuality, most would say they didn’t have a problem with it as long as they weren’t being hit on. Interestingly enough, when Sam made his suggestive comments, the snickering and “oh my gods” that filled the room certainly contradict their earlier claim. To me, people often put on an “accepting” front because they know they are SUPPOSED to treat everyone equally.
My thoughts on soc 119…this class has been fun because I don’t dread going to it. Lately I’ve been not really in the mood to get my butt out of bed and do anything but I still don’t think it’s a big deal to get to this class. The semester is just getting really long and I need it to be over but this has been one of my favorite classes that I have taken at Penn State and in general throughout life. I’m going to miss it a lot when it’s over because I like the way the class rolls. I like that I don’t have to take notes I just need to pay attention because it helps me learn. I loved the power points and how they weren’t boring notes like most power points. I like that they incorporated songs and movies because it made the lectures more entertaining.
I liked the lecture about life in Afghanistan and how we would feel the same if we were in their shoes. That was my favorite part about this class. Learning how to see the perspective of someone else is a really important quality in life to have. I enjoyed most of the lectures but thought some of the students in class were obnoxious. I think I got more out of the discussion group than anything. It was really cool because my group was so diverse. One of out TAs was from a country near India, and we also had a kid from Nigeria, China, another from Australia, a girl with family in Israel, and just a diverse crowd with different opinions on everything.
I really like the books we got assigned too. Im reading Crossing the Boulevard now and its pretty good I love the pictures and the stories. Disposable People was good too. I don’t really like the other book even though I would love to meet Laura Mulvey though she’s probably awesome.
What else…the LGBT lecture was interesting. Its so weird to hear other people not be ok with homosexuals though. Like I just want to punch them in the face and be like how the hell does someone else’s life effect you? I like to listen because I like to understand but how is that a sin. How is love a sin. Or is it just the sex that’s a problem? I want to understand I just think its unfair for people to look down on other people for their way of life. I think everyone isn’t completely straight. Since there are just two genders in this world of course were not all completely straight.
As I look back on it, I remember when Sam told us that he was ranked as one of the most dangerous professors in America. I now realize that what is most dangerous is not addressing the issues that have been brought up over the course of the semester.
First, I would like to thank you Sam (if you are reading this) for a great class. Soc 119 was definitely one of my favorite classes I’ve taken at Penn State and one that I will always remember. This class could be one of the boring classes ever if it wasn’t for Sam’s innovativeness and ways of teaching. Sam was not “lecturing” us; instead he was opening our minds and make trying to make us think after every lecture. I knew a lot of the things that were being taught in class, however he made me think in other ways I thought possible about these things. I knew about ethnocentrism, homosexuality, inequality, etc. But the way Sam puts us in other people’s shoes and makes us think about a lot of examples and stories he tells us makes this class exciting. Surprisingly, the thing out the most from this class is not anything related to race relations, instead I learned to always ponder and “wrestle” in things in life.
It is very important nowadays to always have your thinking cap on and not just repeat what people say. I am a Muslim and I can’t believe that there are still people out there that think all Muslims are terrorists, etc. The sad thing is that these people [probably don’t even know what Islam is and what the five pillars of Islam are. People need to think and research about things in life to truly “try” and understand this world. People need to put themselves in other people shoes and think for abit before judging someone. I believe ethnocentrism and hypocrisy are the biggest lessons I have took from this course. And they are really vital in understanding race relations.
It was also an eye-opening experience regarding race, race relations, ethnocentrism, and inequality. My favorite part of the class was talking about ethnocentrism. I am from Egypt and I encounter a lot of people her ein the U.S. who are ethnocentric and ignorant and think that I used to live in a pyramid, and I went to school with a camel, etc. . I am glad Sam talked about ethnocentrism because not only does it apply to ethnicities, but it also applies to race. If everyone understands ethnocentrism, race relations in the world could hugely improve. I have also enjoyed the lecture about Muslim and Christian extremists. It is definitely a reminder to always put myself in other people’s shoes.
In conclusion, I am glad I took Soc 119. I think I am a better person just from taking this course. Yes, there were a couple of things I disagree with Sam’s, but I have definitely learned a lot.
I would like to start by saying that Soc 119 is the most exciting class in which I had thus far. This class has opened both my mind and my eyes to various topics concerning race, gender, and the world itself. From the first day of class I knew that this class would be very controversial. Before the class I never thought about many of the topic we discussed in class. After discussing these topics in class I can’t stop thinking about the topics. I look at the world from a different point of view now, thinking about how the topics discussed in class are related to my everyday life.
The race inequality section was very interesting. In fact, it was one of the most interesting sections to learn about. The lectures were very informative and fun to learn about. The PowerPoint slides were not only educational but still fun. For having a 700 person classroom, the class was more active than my other classrooms when it should be the other way around. By having people come up to the front of the classroom to provide examples to topics was also educational stimulating as well. I also liked when guest speakers came to class, the last guest speaker was interesting and informed us in a humorous way. I think the journals were a good idea too because it also helped us to learn more about issues that our taking place in the world today. I read the news on a daily basis and like to be knowledgeable on what is going on around me. I never had attendance in such a large classroom before but I think it was very beneficial to every single student in class. Having us interact with our classmates was something else that was beneficial because we were then able to open up to other mind frames of people of the same age generation as us. It was quite eye opening and the opinions were interesting to hear. At first I was a bit timid and uncomfortable to discuss certain topics with certain groups of people in fear of offending them or them offending me.
I have never been one to talk about racial issues but I realized that this class has opened my eyes to new perspectives. Even though I knew this class was going to touch on racial issues, I didn’t think the professor would be so unafraid to say what’s on his mind. Sam isn’t like any of the other college professors; he says whatever he is thinking. He always takes both sides of an issue and fully explores both sides. He doesn’t take a specific side just to make people happy; he tells it like it is. He doesn’t want to change people’s opinions but he does want to effect the way his students to think about certain issues.
There is so much to say about this class. I know for a fact that SOC 119 will be my favorite class forever. It made my freshman year much more memorable, I didn’t expect a course can have such an impact on my life. I knew that life was unfair but not to the point that I wouldn’t have a chance to be on top because another race will always come before me. Sam taught me so much, and I will never forget it. It feels that he is making colored people hate white people for what they are putting colored people through since who knows when. I wished I never learned certain things because now I look at the other races another way now. For example, I will feel less confident if I had to go against a white person for a job, even though I know that I have the right credentials, I am pretty sure that the job would go to the white person because of what Sam had said. The white race will always be the king of the mountain, protecting his own people. Each class has a different lesson; I will never get bored of that class. Sam doesn’t lecture the class, he talks to the class and he tells the students to share their questions and opinions. I love the videos and stories the Sam presents, it helps the class understand the topic more and it’s very entertaining. There were certain classes that really opened my eyes and I was just fascinated. Sam isn’t scared to say whatever that is on his mind, especially his personal past experiences. He would say anything to get the class more involved and to understand it. One class that changed my life would be the recent one about cocoa and slavery on the Ivory Coast. I knew that the chocolate that were passed out had to do with slavery; therefore I did not eat the first piece that Sam asked us to. I don’t think I would be able to look at chocolate the same way anymore. Although I don’t have cravings for chocolate like others do, I know that if people were to watch the same video that the class did, they would feel differently about it. To have the feeling that you’re eating someone’s flesh, that’s kind of life changing. I think everyone should know that slavery is still going on today and it is worse than before. In conclusion, this semester has been great in Sam’s class. I can honestly say I learned more in this class than any other this semester. If I could, I would love to take another course that Sam is going to teach in the near future. Thank you Sam for teaching me so much.
Ahhh I cannot believe that this class is almost over. This class has opened my eyes to so many things. It has narrowed down very broad topics, and even strengthened or made me question and really analyze my perspectives on topics. I love the way Sam tore down barriers and thoroughly explained each and every topic we approached. He didn’t waste any time digging to the core of things and never shied away from his strong beliefs on topics. I really truly admired his blunt honest statements he made throughout the semester in our lectures.
I really enjoyed this class as a whole. I am glad to have had the privilege of attending this class and partaking in the weekly discussion groups. The discussion groups truly enlightened me, it was so intriguing to hear others’ thoughts, opinions, perspectives, and even see their facial expressions when certain topics were approached. I also liked how open my group was with each other, I felt completely comfortable in everything I said and never felt awkward when approaching a topic.
One of my favorite topics we discussed overall was slavery. I was entranced in the video we watched in class as it was on and once it was over I was left in awe. I thought it was very inventive giving us the chocolate chips before viewing the video, and being told to eat one. As the video progressed I was moved in so many ways. I felt hurt, angry, and compassionate all at the same time. I felt for them, I literally was almost in tears hearing how graphically they described their beatings and way of life. Seeing their facial expressions as they relived their horrid experiences truly saddened me. After hearing and seeing what occurred to these forced labor slaves was truly sickening. I actually wanted to vomit and I felt “guilty” because I actually indulged in the chocolate. When told to eat the second piece of chocolate I was like hell no, I feel like an asshole but then Sam went on with options. Giving the option of indulging in it and saying hey what the hell its a way of life and actually truly not eating chocolate ever again really made me intensely consider my options. So I did end up eating the second piece because I figured this is a spur of the moment thing, I’m going to turn down this one piece then eventually down the road indulge in chocolate all over again no even considering slavery for a second the next time I eat it.
Overall this was by far THE BEST CLASS I had all semester. When I first signed up I would have never thought I would learn and benefit so much from a “race relations” class. So I just want to thank Sam for a great semester, and a mesmerizing variety of ideas and perspectives.
So this semester was great. I sure had a great time in Sam’s class learning about everyone one of his “crazy” topics. I definitely found the new inner ME. Between the discussion groups and the lecture, we were able to acquire so much diverse information. There is definitely no other way to experience something like this class. I believe that we (as a whole class) become more advanced then the rest of the world with this information that we received from Sam. I can now involve myself in any conversation I want and let people know some true facts about the reality of race relations.
Actually, I get in arguments with many of my friends now because they just do not have the same information that I have now. It is so wonderful because I can finally defend people of color, illegal immigrants, native Americans and THEIR stolen land, gays, lesbians, and everything else we discussed in class. One of the things that really pissed me off was when we learned about the Native Americans. I cannot believe that schools still teach younger children about the pilgrims and the dinner with the Indians and the love and laughter and the “togetherness” they had. When in reality we all know that the “pilgrims” came here and slaughtered every Indian still standing. It is just so sad to that elementary schools must LIE to small children about such a SERIOUS topics. I mean fuck..Well, to move on, (there is really just too much to talk about for this entry!) Another big subject is my girlfriend and how our relationship has developed along side of me going to this class this semester.
There were many “topics of interest” related to our lives and our relationship at the moment. Such as what Sam mentioned one day about how “you can only choose to be offended.” It is just too true to deny that…you know what I mean? So, I know that I do not tryyy to offend my girlfriend when it actually happens. I know that she chooses to get offended at something so innocent, and I try to explain what Sam said. No good! Not havin it! I am actually “not allowed” to say that anymore because she gets so pissed at that statement about choosing to be offended. Anyway, my relationship is getting better and better now because I also try to use other topics in the class to help her better understand what I am talking about or to explain something about life in general. I love her so it’s all good. Finally, the discussion groups were just awesome. You never ever get a chance to do that and I do not thing I will again anytime soon. It was so interesting to see how all this strangers felt about all these different topics, especially when we got in really intense discussions about whatever we wanted. Some people really feel very strongly about certain things and nothing you say will change their minds. Overall, it was a great group of people and I am glad it was them and not some of the other groups I heard about. I hope everyone will take Sam’s teachings into this world and make it a better place.
During the twelve/thirteen weeks I have been attending Sam Richard’s Lectures, I have learned and experienced many knew things. However; since I am a minority who grew up in predominately white area, I thought that I was aware of everything life. Since I have grown up around these people, I thought I was extremely diverse, but now after hearing many experiences and stories from Sam Richards, I have learned that it was not the case and I do not know everything about the diverse word. The only way I heard about this course is through word of mouth. They all said it was the greatest class ever and he was the coolest professor. I did not believe it at all, but I was finally convinced to take the course. Here I am in this course and it is one of my favorite classes. I actually look forward to going. I love this course because since its race relations, we obviously talk about race. We finally all can get together and discuss stereotypes, discrimination, cultures and etc. This is the type of class where so many people have been thinking different thoughts about different cultures, but never wanted to mention it because they did not want to offend others. In this class, we are able to open up and actually discuss what everyone has been thinking. And in the end, all of these thoughts that everyone has been thinking are the same. For example, everyone thought that black people were always late. Or everyone thought that white people always have power and advantage over other races. Normally, people would not want to share that, but in this class anything can be said. I also like how enthusiastic Sam Richards is. I have never seen a professor who is so excited and energetic when giving a speech. He makes the class more interesting and I am more engaged in the conversation. He talks in such a conversational tone, that I am able to connect and understand what he is trying to address. I think this is great class to take because it opens everyone’s mind. I think t hat every needs to take this because it is an eye opener for those who have not been exposed to a diverse lifestyle. I know someone in particular who was very stubborn and thought whites are just the best and luckiest people in the world. Once he attended these lectures and heard what Sam had to see, he was in total shock. Everything Sam said awestruck him because he had a valid point behind everything. Not only did he realize that, but he has become more accepting towards minorities and has some sense of knowledge of where they come from and how different it is to live their life. In fact, he respects minorities because he knows that they have to work twice as hard and even more just to be at the same level as white people. All in all, I enjoy this class and I know for a fact that I will recommend it to everyone I know.
Last semester I was a texting upperclassman asking them for a good Gen Ed class to take. One of my friends told me to take SOC 119 with Sam Richards and from there I went to check the ratings on the rate my professor website. This semester is Soc 119 with Sam Richards was a very interesting one. Sam really helped me obtain the ability to think for myself. Before I used to think what my parents thought. Now I have a different viewpoint about issues such as gays, the War on Terror, and immigration.
I thought that his most interesting lecture was the one about the War on Terror. Sam really opened my eye to this issue. This lecture was groundbreaking because Sam helped the class see the Iraqi point of view. To them it seems like people came from a foreign country and are invading for their oil. Now I see why the people fight for their country.
The LGBT lecture was also very interesting to me. Before I used to think that people choose to be gay. After Sam’s lecture I thought that some people could be born gay. Some people may be born with extra estrogen. People really don’t realize when they start to like the opposite sex. I got in a really heated argument with my brother-in-law over my Thanksgiving break about this issue. He told me that no one could be born as a homosexual but we argued about this issue for about a half an hour. I told him that I met a devout Christian person that way gay and he wouldn’t believe me. He said there is no such thing as a devout “gay” Christian.
When my parents came to America they were immigrants and they were able to hold on their culture. I really felt bad when I saw the imminent racism against some Hispanics in America. Sam showed the class a variety of different videos about racism in America. Everyone in America is basically and immigrant besides Native Americans or slaves. I think that people that come to America should be able to hold onto to their culture. I think that people in America are very ignorant and need to correct their errors. I think that Spanish people should be able to speak Spanish in America.
Sam Richards was really able to change my viewpoint on life. He made me see the world from a different viewpoint. His class really helped me to see things differently and it was very essential for my life. Sam Richards’s class has really helped me become a different person. Thanks to Sam I am a very different person. I will recommend his class to all my friends who are underclassmen.
First off I would like to thank ratemyprofessor.com for convincing me to take this class. So far it was easily the most interesting class I have ever taken. The topics that Sam presents and the different views he throws them at you is a gift. Just different things like affirmative action and religious wars. I have thought of both of these things before but never the way I though about them in class. I like how he doesn’t try to force you believe what he is saying is right or that is the way we should time, he just wants us to open our eyes enough to get a bigger and better view of everything. It was actually the only class I wanted to go to. I like the feeling after class when you walk out and you just start to think about everything you just heard. It was a class where you would actually talk about what you learned to your friends and try to have disscusions with them and the most important part it made me think about myself. It would make me think about where I fell in my life, what stage I was in, if I ever did anything with racist intention and a lot more.
The discussion group was a little disappointing but I can only blame myself for that. I can’t blame the people in my group because you are the only person that control what you do. I probably didn’t speak enough about my feels on other people opinions and even my own opinions. We opened at the end of the semester. I guess its better late then never. The one thing I truly wished for was to have a more diverse discussion group. Since it was basically all white people there wasn’t that much tension. I would like to some yelling or something that involves passion.
I still can’t describe how sweet a professor that Sam is. In my opinion his teaching style is probably the best of any teacher I have ever had. The passion he has for what he teaches and believes is amazing. He has been teaching the exact same class for nineteen year and still has that passion is something I wise I can have whenever I work wherever that would be.
Overall I loved this class. I didn’t agree with everything Sam said but he didn’t want us to agree with everything, he wanted us to think for ourselves.
Last year I took Soc 001 with Sam as well, so I decided that taking Soc 119 with Sam again would be very interesting and fun class since Soc 001 was very fun and well taught. So the main reason I took Soc 119 was because I heard it was a really good class and since it was with Sam I knew it was going to be a hell lot of fun. But after I attended the first class lectures I was just so into the class that I just thought this class is going to be awesome. I just did not imagine I was going to see the ongoing issues as I see them now. This class just opened my eyes to the world; it seriously made me think a lot different. I just realized so many things that I did not even cross my mind before.
What a semester, it was definitely a great class. I enjoyed it so much, not only because it was well thought also because I learned so much in this class. Not only did I learn a lot from all the material that Sam covered in class but also from the different people in the weekly discussion groups. It was such a great experience to have the opportunity to discuss a lot of major and strong issues going on around the world these days. I think that it is very important to have a class taught, just like Sociology 119, in universities since we do not really
get to talk about major issues like racism, discrimination, LGBT issues,
different ethnic groups, etc.
SOC 119 is one of themost interesting classes I have ever taken in my whole life. One of the things that I thought was the most interesting was when we talked about the different ethnic groups. Another thing that was very interesting and that made me think a lot was when we watched a video that said that we all have some bad part in our selves. For example, Americans think that other people are the ones who are bad
because they are invading the United States and because of what happen in September 11. The things that were discussed in this class were really interesting, I like the part where Sam said that someone told him to bring a picture to the United States and show it to his people so they could see what kind of innocent people we are killing.
Overall, this class was just way too good. The things I learned in this class might not be many, but the very few I learned are valuable and will sure make me see the world’s ongoing issues different.
I didn’t expect anything special from taking Soc 119. A friend of mine suggested the class to me, and I thought that I’d try it. As I do with all my professors, I looked Sam up on ratemyprofessor.com. There were multiple good reviews, and there were a few bad ones scattered in as well. I also didn’t know what the class would really be about. There is a course description, but sometimes they aren’t always spot on with the description. I knew we would be going over different race topics (because my friend told me a little about the class), but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
I knew somewhat of what we would be talking about in Soc 119, but I had no idea we would go to such an extreme. I had no idea that the discussion groups would and could get so heated at times. Never the less, our groups would always come to a better understanding of the different topics that came up. I know that I learned a few things that I may have never have gotten to learn from my fellow classmates. In the start of the semester I was held back because I was afraid to say anything out of line. But after a few discussions I was able to let my guard down. I hope to be able to carry what I learned/ what I was able to do (let my guard down) around with me.
This class opened my eyes to the different race issues that go on in this world today. Sam got to the deep stuff, things that you would never see on or in the news. This class made me realize how much I didn’t know about race issues. One of the things that I didn’t like about the class was the fact that Sam would build up classes and not fulfill the hype. Yes, the topics we were going over were hard to comprehend, but I believe that I got a lot out of them.
I know that this is the first step in understanding race and the other things associated with race. I may not be able to travel to the different parts of the world that were talked about in class, but through the stories Sam told, I feel that I have been there. I know that me saying this will not help the people we learned about, but at least I am one more person who knows their story and how they truly live. Like I said earlier, you would never hear about those stories in or on the news, but through Sam we have heard them. I am glad that I took this class, and I learned a lot.
I heard about the soc 119 class from a friend of mine who took the
class and said it was an extremely easy 4 credits. I never saw him
crack a book or take a note and he told me he got a pretty decent
grade so I decided to sign up for it. I didn’t know what to expect but
now I’m more than glad I took it. It really opened up my eyes to the
world around me and let me be able to see, analyze, and understand
things I had never really thought about before. I grew up around a
whole lot of diversity, from preschool to college I’ve never been
prejudice or even really seen color of people. I’ve always had a
diverse group of friends and racism was never brought up or ever
became a problem. Everybody got along regardless of race or ethnicity.
I grew up in an all white middle class neighborhood and never really
questioned why there wasn’t any diversity in the neighborhood even
though when I went to school most of my friends were of a different
race. I had brought these friends to my home multiple times and they
never asked me why everyone in the neighborhood was white if they even
cared to notice. I guess I was the first person in my neighborhood to
bring diversity because I bad 2 friends of mine come live with me when
their families were going through hard times. Both were black and my
parents and family accepted them as their own.
Anyway until I came into the class I never thought about racism in my
life or around me. And for the most part I still haven’t seen any to
this day. But it opened up a much broader point of view of race
relations in America and around the world. For example I never thought
about how the families and societies of the countries we are war
against felt about us. Or how there is still slavery present in our
world today, some of it is even sponsored by our own United States.
Also the racism present in countries around the world, Brazil, is much
stronger and more blatant then it is here in this country.
Without this class I wouldn’t have been able to realize or learn about
these subjects in the world. It was a wonderful class and I couldn’t
of had a better professor. I must accredit most of my experience to
him because without his thought provoking lessons and journals, I
wouldn’t have been able to expand my mind to where it is today.
I did not know what to expect when I signed up for Soc 119. After getting several recommendations to register for the class, I was finally convinced to do so. Even on the first day of class, I knew that this course was going to be different than any other class I have taken thus far. Class was always interesting and always challenged the mind to think further than one may expect. Sam’s discussion on different topics sparked arguments and displayed the various perspectives people had on them.
There were times where I was thrown off by the statistics and information that Sam used to prove his point and get his message across. I was finding myself evaluating situations and scenarios that I otherwise would have never of done. This is what made Soc 119 such an amazing class. His class always had something new to offer and always used different methods to get you thinking really hard. This course was definitely a mentally challenging course because the information he feeds you actually occurs in everyday life and not something you would never expect to see. You start to notice things that you normally would not have without taking this course.
I can definitely say I noticed many people being enlightened by Sam’s intelligence and his understanding on topics in levels much higher than most people could even interpret. His strong background and broad overview in everything he taught made you not even consider doubting the man. This class had a lot of opinions that everyone could easily input. His topics never forced you to think one way and not the other. He simply offered a new side you could take part in and always made you consider “what the other side was thinking.” I especially loved the videos he showed because we would all watch it with only one mindset but when he lectures about them after seeing it, you can notice things that were sometimes covered up to look like something else.
Overall I think that this class is incredible and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. The books, discussion class, lectures, and articles were all very interesting and kept me wanting to learn more on what he was teaching. The discussion class is a must when taking this course because it allows you to get a feel of how people think, feel, and react to topics with a lot of controversy. I can understand when some people start to hate Sam or despise him for what he does but if you have an open mind and not take his teachings like he’s trying to force it down your throat, it makes it one of the best classes. Besides, we’re all eventually going to die so why bother stressing over things so much.
I’m thinking that this class was absolutely amazing to be a part of. I was not really sure what to expect, I just heard that Sam was an amazing teacher. I love that this class made us all think outside our own ethnocentrism. I genuinely wanted to go to class each day, and when does that honestly EVER happen? He told us at the beginning of the semester that this was wasn’t about getting an A, but leaving with a different perspective and being more open to thing we’re not familiar with. Boy was he right. I could care less if I get an A in this class, because I am learning so much more than my GPA is worth.
I really appreciated that Sam was so blunt and said anything that was on his mind. He did not hold back from hard topics, and he was confident in what he said when discussing controversial topics. I feel like most of the stuff he said, his intentions were meant to break down barriers and guards, and I think it worked.
One of the things I really learned was thinking about what I’m going to say before I say it. I think about situations I have been with people of different ethnicity, and how I retell stories later. Is it relevant in the story to say what race the person is? What gender? What sexuality? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but at least I take a moment now to let it sink in and analyze if it does.
Sam Richards definitely inspires me. I can see his passion when he teaches, and you can tell he wants us to really take in what he says and to break it apart. I love when I hear about all the stuff he’s done and all the places he has gone, and how many people he has reached out to and touched. I’ll never forget when we he said he shipped a mitt to a boy in another country because he was left handed. It’s little things like that in which I can connect to Sam, because I want to do world missionary stuff after I graduate so I can help people all over the world. What also really sticks out to me in his obsession with death. I like that he wears beads that reminds him that he is going to die. I liked it when he showed us that tombstone of the man that had all these labels and names and achievements, and that he worked all his life for them and now he is dead. I LOVE this. I don’t want to work in corporate America, get really rich, and make it “big”. This class helped reaffirm my passion to just help people and love people and that is going to be my job in life.
I come from the background of very not diverse environment. I have never imagined if somebody would comment about me just because I was certain race. I was usually with people with the same race of mine and I thought this was how it would always be. One day, I was sent to go to school in Florida where I met no Asians for a year and everyone I saw were White, Black or Mexican. I lived with very white middle class white family, and it seemed like what I heard from TVs or mass media were different, which people in America always struggle through the racial problem. Then, I transferred to a high school in New York where all different types of people were usually accepted and feel very comfortable to be around with each other. That’s when I dated these girls with different races. At that point, I felt very confident that I was accepted by most of races. And then I came to Penn State where it is very white and I almost felt uncomfortable sometimes. Penn State usually held environment where races do not usually hang along with each other. I barely witnessed interaction between different races. White people tend to stay with white people, black people tend to stay with black people, and brown people tend to stay with brown people. I thought it was going to be like this, my view about Penn State will be stuck being people aren’t friendly and uncomfortable to interact with different people until I decided to take this class. Through the class, I got to talk to a collection of different kids from the class and heard how they think about stuff. It was very interesting and I felt very certain that even in the environment like this, there still are people who are willing to be opened to new things.
Wow, the last journal.
So even though he may hate that I say this, I don’t really care. Avery, the one who wasn’t afraid to “scratch that itch”, is my best friend and we talk about these kind of social issues semi-frequently. We butt heads as far as opinions often, but I always love to hear what he has to say and he definitely makes me go back and reevaluate some of my opinions. This class has done that but on a grander scale I think. I took this class because of him, by the way. I heard about race dialogues (which is basically the equivalent of the recitations of soc 119) from Avery, and I thought this might be a good way to kind of get started on that path. I’ve done a few race relations through the actual Race Relation Project located on campus, and they have been with high school students. As a mentor, I have not been able to participate in some of them and some of the students will come out crying. That itself speaks to me because they get to see it right *now*. And now is always the best time to discover yourself and your thoughts.
As a person of color, I have so many stereotypes bestowed upon me that I may not even always realize. I always took things away from lecture, but I must admit that I am kind of disappointed that we didn’t get a chance to further explore (as a class) the stereotypes that we see every day, and maybe even get a chance to understand how to deal with them. Of course that’s not the most important thing in society, but as Penn State students, we live in a bubble. I try to advertise the class as much as I possibly can just due to that fact. I think it’s crucial that people take classes like this. Honestly, this class is completely irrelevant to my academic education as an aerospace engineering major, but I know this will help me in life. I mean, EVERYONE has to deal with life, of course, and this class (or classes like this) can really be an essential learning tool.
I remember at the beginning of the year Sam said something about how we all believe that we are the ones who DO think outside the box when we’re really not. I don’t know about other people, but I thought I was one of those people, and because I take the time to ponder or question or whatever everything that we discuss, I still think that way. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe not. But either way, I know this class has affected the way I think about things. There are certain things that I simply cannot come to agree with the majority of the class on, but the fact is that it has stimulated my mind to an extent that not many other classes can do.
And if nothing else, we all learned one thing.
We’re all just going to die anyway.
I took this class because I friend told me that Sam would be the most outrageous professor I would ever have. He said that Sam like myself spoke whatever was on his mind and did not care what he said, in fact sometimes he said things just to get a reaction out of people. He was completely right, no other teacher laid out the problems like he did and no one else I no freely talks about these topics. Most of the time I get into discussions with people that are close minded or ill informed. these discussion end rather quickly because it is very difficult to argue with someone who is ignorant to the facts and only basis of an argument is that’s just the way it is. However Sam not only knew all of the viewpoints but discussed them in a matter that very rarely expressed his own opinions or the opinions that most of us have. Sims class is amazing because he is so open minded that when he says a comment it gets reactions out of everyone in the class whether they admit it or not. these reactions create so much thought about the topic at hand that they carry outside the classroom. I have always though of myself to be a pretty open minded person, I think this is because I grew up in queens new York which is an extremely diverse culture. however talking with fellow students in the class I really got an understanding for how many kids really live in a sheltered life with any racial, or religious mixing in their communities. one girl who I spoke with in class told me that of her entire high school for all 4 years that she went to school there were only 2 kids that were of color. when I heard this I found this amazing because all through my school I was in mixed classes that could have been any more diverse if Sam himself picked the students. after going to the recitation classes I really got an understanding for just how different people really are. I never really though that racism and segregation were still a problem because were I’m from no one sees in colors because everyone has some color. however this class has really opened my eyes to see that not all people are comfortable with maters dealing with race or religion. As a matter of fact, some people to this day are still extremely prejudice of others based solely on their skin color or how they decide to worship. I guess before this class I was closed minded because everyone that I knew from my home town dealt with race so often it wasn’t an issue anymore, however this class has shown me that racial tensions are still a very real topic.
My experience with Soc119 is really interesting. My old roommate used to take this course and she really enjoyed it so she recommended to me. I was not interested to learn anything about sociology at that time but she promised that this is not a hard course and the instructor is ridiculously cool. At the first half of this semester I paid a lot of attention to Sam’s idea because they are just sometimes cool but weird. The ideas are pretty new and some of them I do not really agree.
In this class I learned a lot of things that I never thought about. I was never considering to be a thinker or to think about social issues. But when new things come to me I just happen to think about them. As a foreign student here I did not know much about the society of the U.S. When Sam was talking about race issue it is the first time I start to see my difference. Remember the video of the little black girls and guys picking up the dolls. I was very surprised to see the inequality of race has been planted into kid’s mind and affecting them start from a very young age. I used to think that there is never going to be equality of race but we can just take it and bear it. I understand the inequality but I just neglect it and not even think that people should fight for the equality. After the class I think I am wrong.
Once in class Sam asked whether there are still a lot of slaves in today’s world. I suddenly had a picture in my mind that slaves are working hard carry heavy stones and some supervisor is holding a belt and keep hitting them. But those are in the past, people now enjoy high standard life. I was one of those who forget the past and live happily without thinking about those who are also human beings and suffering from hard work and disease. The slave guys in the video and the statistics shocked me. They made me start to think about our social issue. There are so many problems existing and they are connected to many people who are experiencing horrible lives that I cannot even imagine. It is not everyone’s responsibility to fight back and protect the right for the poor but we should not forget about those who are suffering.
This course really opened up my mind and the society I live in is connected with me that I cannot be separated apart from it. The issues we discussed about developed my mind a lot. From the moment that I totally do not care about the social issue to the point I listen to other people’s opinion until I have my own thoughts on these issues. I see myself progressing and I have the feeling of being aroused. It is a very cool experience for me.
O my gosh! I can not believe it’s almost over fror good. I’m going to miss this class so much. Hands down this is the best class I have ever taken. Doctor Sam Richards is one of the best proffessors ever. He should be in a book with a title like that not that other book of the most dangerous proffessors or whatever. He has opened my mind to so manhy things. Things that I already knew about but never saw the good and/or bad in. The way he teaches is just amazing. I love the issues he brings up. I also love how he’s not afraid to speak his mind and stand up for what he believes in.
Honestly, I think Soc 119 should be a required course. Hopefully, everyone would havde a wonderful proffessor like Doctor Richards. If I had the power I certainly would make the class a requirement. Maybe doing so will open manhy racist eyes and those people could potentially change their offensive views. After taking this course I don’t see how anyone could continue to live with their ignorance to certain issues. We’ve covered so many controversial topics that if it were not for this class then most of us would never talk about them. This is also my most diverse class which I love. As I look around I see so many different faces, skin tones, facial features, and ethnicities. I find that to be so amazing. One can learn so much from listening to the experiences of those from another culture and/or ethnicity.
The lecture portion of the class was so awesome because I learned so much. However, I feel the group portion of the class is just as important. The small setting is great because then real conversations can be held. I like the group I was in. it was very diverse and I got to learn things from people who had very different points of view at times then I did. The small group setting gave me the opotunity to disscuse things more in depth then I could in the huge lecture. It also gave me the opportunity to ask certain question and receive different unique answers. The group is a good addition to the class. I love the whole race circle idea. I think it does have to begin with speaking to people one person at a time before we can begin to concure these issues that separate our races. This class has been such an amazing positive thing in my life. Thew things I have learned in this class are so important to the world. I feel I will keep these thing with me and the next time someone says something ignorant perhaps I can educate them=] Everyone absolutely take Soc 119 and get Doctor Richards!!!