posted by Sam Richards
I’ve been discussing freedom and determinism in a serious way for about twenty years and I’ve delivered yesterday’s class one hundred times if I’ve done it once. And Tuesday…for some strange reason I was in the zone in a way that I’ve never been with that particular class. I’d like to think that I stirred some things up in people with regards to how they…you…see the world of causality. I know that I rocked my own world in those 75 minutes and I suppose that that is all that really matters.
So why don’t you watch the video below just to jog your thinking and then kick out some thoughts. Perhaps now is a good time to consider reading the ideas of some other people and respond to them and not directly to the class. I’m quite curious about how you manage other people’s interpretations of the ideas.
I think that the discussion from Tuesdays class that Sam had a very good point. He made you think a lot like if you’re rich you don’t just become rich it’s all luck and if you’re poor you don’t just plan on being that way. Freedom when he explained it in class is that you can do whatever you want to do in life I do not believe that this is true because you can’t just do what you want if you have factors holding you back in life. I think that you have to look at it from the way he explained for example if you take a student whose college is fully paid for and a college student who is getting no help at all there are factors that affect this. The college student who is getting there’s paid for doesn’t have to worry about working to pay it off. Whereas the student who is paying for it themselves have to work to pay off their loans and they may be working while they are in school.
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That could be a factor that they can’t fully focus on school because maybe they work a full time job and may be tired after classes and can’t study as much or do as well in classes as the student who doesn’t work and can focus fully on school. I believe that when we work for what we want we appreciate it more like the kid who is paying for their own college even though they may be working full time and be tired they would be the one to not party and go out and would do their best to get the best grade. Whereas the student that is getting there college paid for will be one to party and not work as hard as the student who is paying for their own college. And I think that it is true that even if you are getting you school paid for there are other factors that could affect you as well maybe like family problems or if someone is sick in your family and you have to go home a lot to see them or miss class that is something that could affect you.
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This also is an effect on your school work because if you’re not at school you can’t attend class and do well. I think that we are still equal even if you have a rich or poor person they all started at the same and got to where they are by working hard or they came from a rich family. A rich family started out as poor as well just like poor families today trying to develop and eventually they will end up rich after a few generations it’s the same process regardless of how you start out.
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I really do not see how anyone could be anywhere but in the middle on the idea of freedom versus determinism. Those two things come into play in ever aspect of life. Even in professional sports individuals' efforts don't make a difference as much as a whole team. The best example would be Lebron James and how he by himself can not win a championship, even though he by most accounts is the player who would be most deserving of a championship. Lebron helps his team get to the playoffs every year and play to a level that they normally would not have been able to. Lebron does not choose his teammates or coach or anything, he was drafted into the situation he is in, just like people are put into the situation they are in. In sports what would happen is that the have nots would eventually be compensated artificially. For example I am a die hard New York Rangers fan and I currently have to watch a team that consistently tanked for about 6 straight years (the Pittsburgh Penguins) beat up on my beloved team because they were rewarded high draft picks for their perennial incompetence as an organization. The Rangers went through a stretch where they did not qualify for the playoffs for 7 straight years, but their fans still bought tickets and The Garden was still sold out every single night. The Penguins' fans abandoned their team essentially and were very close to being moved out of Pittsburgh until they were bailed out my former Penguin Mario Lemieux. Now everyone in Pittsburgh is back on the Pens bandwagon while people who like Rangers fans have nothing to show for their devotion to the team and everyone who abandoned their team was able to quickly to acquire some limited knowledge in order to rejoin as if nothing had ever happened. Both of these examples I feel represent the two aspects of the argument of freedom and determinism; they're both correct. This is the fundamental of life, there are haves and have nots and we as people are supposed to make do with whatever we can. I really like how Sam during the discussion about why African Americans are not to blame on average for the economic situations of their families (which obviously has to do, in relation to white people at least, with the 500 year head start they were not granted) but also that people who do not take advantage or "make decisions" to better their situation are responsible for the lack of upward mobility that they have experienced in their lives. What I was waiting for was for Sam to provide some sort of closure on the two lectures we spent discussing this societal issue. It is fairly apparent to me at least that people who are not white and who are not recent wealthy immigrants are on average at a severe disadvantage starting out.
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In my opinion, and also the majority of people in my recitation class, I didn’t think the lecture on Tuesday was that amazing like Sam said it was going to be. Don’t get me wrong, I love the passion and enthusiasm of Sam, but I really don’t feel he provided me with ‘gold’. He just reminded me of how different everyone’s lives are and gave me more examples. I agree with BThomas8 in that it was just common sense. Yes, people struggle differently; life is certainly not fair. It’s not that hard to believe. That’s how I felt about the lecture, but as I’m thinking about why I feel this way, I’m wondering why others felt this was such a great lecture. Did those people who ‘learned’ so much from this lecture not realize this all before? Do I have that much more life experience than a lot of my classmates that I’ve already learned all this? I don’t know if that’s the case, but even through TV, you know that life is not the same for everyone. It makes me think about people in the class and in the world in general, especially people in the US. A lot of people in our nation have it really easy, but are they that oblivious that they don’t realize that it’s not easy for everyone. Are they so trapped in their own little world that they can’t see others’ struggles? I have a really hard time believing that. Although there may be ‘dumb’ people out there, I think everyone realizes that life is not fair for everyone so I question some of thoughts/’new knowledge’ of the previous repliers.
Now in regards to freedom vs determinism, life consists of both obviously. Without family background, one wouldn’t know where to start out in life. If your family’s rich, life will be easier than if you had a poor family. However, if your family’s rich, that doesn’t guarantee that you will be when you’re old. It’s all about the decisions you make… but to a certain extent. They have to be wise decisions of course. You can’t simply drop out of school because you simply want to or you’re ‘tired of it’. I mean, you can, but there are consequences. As much as I want to be a bum sometimes, I really don’t in actuality. I want to have a successful job where I won’t have to worry about money a lot. But if one day soon I wanted to drop out of school, my chances of obtaining a steady job will decrease. And even though I don’t want to pay off my loans (who would?), I wouldn’t have money to do so and of course, that would be breaking the law. The freedom to make decisions is important and it shouldn’t be freedom vs determinism, it should be freedom and determinism.
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I think Sam's lecture on Tuesday was honestly one of the best ones I have heard so far. That lecture got me to think a great deal more than I had in previous lectures. Not only do I think that the lecture hit home to me but I think it grabbed the attention of a majority if not all of the students in the room that day. The lecture wasn't even based on the normal topic of race and religion. Instead, it was based on something that everyone needs to evaluate individually for themselves. How much freedom you have/ want and how determined you are as a person has to do with the individual themselves. The lecture really got me to think of things in a different light. Part of the lecture dealt with how many people who are wealthy would be able to skate through life and it almost doesn't matter how much determinism they have, they will most likely still end up wealthy later on in life. Going along those lines, the same was true for people who are poor or even middle class. For the most part, those that grow up in a middle class family will stay middle class throughout their lives. Those that are middle class may go to a great university like Penn State and get really good grades but that doesn't mean they will end up being rich later on after their college years. At that point in the lecture, I'm not going to lie, I got slightly bothered by it thinking that no matter how hard i work I will always be middle class. However, I know that those were mostly generalizations. I understand that there are people in life who are born into a middle class family and are so determined in life to make something of themselves that they could end up a millionaire later on in life. However, it really does suck to think that many of those born into rich families will remain rich throughout their lives. Maybe it is just inevitable i suppose but there are a decent number of those persons who are wealthy that just skate through life and get everything they want while having an abundance of money. It's not that I never really realized that before but it's still slightly depressing to think about. Then again if there is one thing I have learned growing up it's that life isn't fair and there will always be those people that get by in life by doing absolutely nothing but they will never know what it's like to work for what they want and to be determined. I guess this is just how things are suppose to be in life, but in the mean time I'm still going to use my freedom and determinism to get me where I want to be in life.
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I do agree with Sam and how he says that we all need to stay in the middle when deciding what shapes our lives. However, I am not sure how realistic that is. Typically, I think that people learn towards the idea that it’s our parents fault for the way we are. I think a lot of people like to blame the people around them for the way their life is because it is always easier to blame someone else for your actions. Anymore, it seems as though people don’t want to take responsibility for their actions. Don’t get me wrong, I think family and loved ones do shape part of the life that one has. But honestly, I believe that individual decisions are way more detrimental to one’s life rather than outside forces.
If a person doesn’t have in it within them to do well and succeed in life, they aren’t going to. If they don’t want to do their homework or study or take part in a sport, they aren’t going to. People act off of internal thoughts and ideas. My parents divorced when I was at a young age and it definitely took a toll on me. But I never stopped working hard in school or fail a test. I always had personal drive to want to do well in school and be happy. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about how lucky I am to have come this far in life despite the surroundings I grew up in. I didn’t let stuff get to me like some people do. Neither one of my parents pressured me to do school work or study for a test. I took the initiation and did it all on my own. Every time someone decides to blame their parents for not pushing them enough to succeed, I want to explain to them that it isn’t their entire fault. Another example is that my best friend’s sister. Her family isn’t poor and they didn’t grow up in a bad area at all. She just refuses to do schoolwork even though her mom has hired tutor after tutor and even attempted to take her to therapy. Her mom will try to make her do homework at the table and she will just sit there and not do anything. She has bended over backwards to help her and it doesn’t do anything in aiding her. That goes to show that no matter how much a parent tries to help, they can’t actually change anything. You have to have personal drive to and desire to want to better yourself and care about your grades and where it takes you to in life.
Your loved ones can only help you to an extent.
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I guess my question or thought that I would like to kick out is, how much freedom of choice do we really have? Or maybe another way to phrase that very same question might be … How much of our lives are based on factors and forces outside of our control? Do we really have any other choice but to be in the middle? Freedom comes with many strings attached to it and forces and factors outside of our control shape those strings. Confusing circle! Is freedom just an illusion?
Biologically, one force out of our control is our genetic makeup. Think for a minute about how much our DNA dictates who and what we are. We can’t choose or change this information. Once we are born we will grow eventually into adults. The only freedom we might see here is in the quality of the person we become, but even that quality is determined by society. What does it mean to be a good or bad citizen and who decides what good or bad is? I am not sure that I see freedom there. The quality of the neighborhood, teachers, playground, family, community, the list goes on and on, that we grow up in is out of our control. Our moral values are based on all of these factors as well. What ever we will become will be whether we choose to agree or disagree with these factors but we cannot change the influence that these decisions had on us. So where is our freedom here? The only thing we may have freedom in is where we choose to live as adults.
So, with respect to the school issue, parents have the ability to choose to live somewhere else where their children would receive a better education. One political issue addressing this very problem is the school voucher program where some believe we should give parents the ability to choose what school their children attend. I have my own personal experience with this. My father decided, while I was in middle school, that he was not happy with the education I was receiving. With this obstacle in his path, he decided to move me to a better school system. It was not easy. It required him to find a different job and we did end up living in an area we probably could not afford, but he was determined to make it work. We lived there until I graduated high school and then he moved again. However, the end result was that I was able to graduate from a school that was in the top 10% in the nation. It hurt financially so rather that working just one job he worked two in order to provide a decent education for me. I guess the lesson I got from this is that you do what you must do in order to accomplish successful result you desire.
But … why was he so determined that my education was worth the struggle? Maybe because he saw similar data (presented by sociological research) that Sam has presented with the income levels. The social trend or data he saw might have been the direct correlation of education with salary. My father did not go to college. He felt the effects of a lack of education. I can remember him being very frustrated that college graduates were hired right out of college at a higher salary than his and he was with this company for 20 years.
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Maybe, I was born with traits of sociologists. I have always avoided choosing one reason to explain phenomena – I, rather, tried to combine all possible reasons. In this regard, I agree on his idea in which both free will and determinism play a role in succeeding in one’s life and, even further, becoming a dominant class. I believe this issue, as well as other sociological issues, is a “chicken or egg” problem. We know neither the exact reason for sociological phenomenon nor whether such situation was created by the theoretical aspects, or vice versa. Furthermore, not all theories are able to explain every phenomenon and they are, even, differed case by case. It may be why there is another theory that theories that are fittest and strongest would survive. Anyway, the lecture would be foundation for students to develop constructive criticism skill.
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I really enjoyed Sam's lecture the other day for a few reasons. First of all, I think he was saying some things that I've always sort of thought, but not on the same level as he said. I've always been in the middle when it comes to the political scene, and I was glad to hear Sam say that the only way to be intellectual was to be in the middle. A lot of people feel very strongly about their political views and often think that someone in the middle is only in the middle because they can't make up their mind. This may be true for some, but in my case, I truly believe that the only thing that's right is right in the middle. Everything Sam said is true. People to the far left need to understand that the government cannot help everyone and make everyone equal simply because we are all Americans. Its a simple (however sad) truth that some people will just be dealt a bad hand. And in a lot of cases, the government will not be able to do much to help that certain person. On the other hand, people to the far right need to realize that, while people always have choices, there are not always fair opportunities for people. Just because someone was born into unfortunate situations and hasn't ended up where they want to be, does not mean that they are lazy and don't deserve a fair shot. Someone who was born into a bad community and a had less than mediocre education, may have had to work even harder than someone who was given the opportunity to succeed right from birth.
When Sam showed the Oprah video about the kids swapping schools, I was astounded. I felt absolutely terrible for the kids that had to go to a school that was so sub-par. How is anyone that went to that school going to be able to advance in life? From elementary school, teachers did not expect much from the kids, and so the curriculum was dumbed-down. Therefore, every single student was short-handed. What happens when they get to college, or even if they get to college? They won't be half as prepared as the students from the good school, and will be far more likely to fail. It really is a shame that public schools are so different in their curriculum, short-handing so many students that may have had the potential to do great things.
But when we look at outside factors that shape choices of these kids, we do have to take into account free will. A lot of the kids in the bad school will just give up. Although they were not given great opportunities, they have some slight chance to do well. If they really try and they work hard, they could probably get into college. But once they got there, they would have to study twice as hard as someone who has a good foundation in their education. They will probably have to get a job to pay for school, while someone whose parents are paying for school won't have to. Although they are not at the same starting line, they could end up at the same finish line with the right choices.
When you look at things this way, you have to think that peoples choices have almost everything to do with what was given to them. This is why being in the middle (politically) is the only thing that makes sense.
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I would have to say, if anyone goes to soc. thinking that Sam holds the detailed, perfectly constructed answer to everything and so our job is to choose a side that person would then be sadly mistaken. The class is supposed to provoke thought not tell you what to think. What you receive is a blueprint of another way of thinking that is neither common nor conventional. Maybe it is my own personal bias that makes me gravitate toward the way the class is approached. I like to expand the net of thought I cast out and sometimes it requires I be completely wrong about something before I can fully understand the magnitude of a situation. What Sam talks about should be common knowledge (note I did not say agree with everything but life is life, it’s as comlex as the people who live and yet nothing is new under the sun) rather it is facts of life that are what they are and so you have to look at the past and understand before you can effect the future in any meaningful way. The past has already happened and so to deny or remain offended by it does not do anyone any good except maintain a certain level of discomfort giving birth to the distorted child called political correctness which creates more distrust because it hinders/cripples you from being able to say exactly what it is that bothers you or that which you do not understand.
In Sam’s arguement about finding the balance between the extremes as the intellectual balance I agreed to an extent but being that I am a Christian as well, my beliefs are a integral part of who I am as a person and so God should never be left out of the equation when talking on matters petaining to my life. Worldly intelect can only explain so much. In this vast universe of ours, there is still a lot we need to learn. So learn.
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I think that it’s unfortunate that some people begin their life in a more difficult position than others. These people are not given the same opportunities that other people have to succeed in life. Instead, they must work much harder with many factors holding them back as they strive for success. On the other hand, I don’t believe that it is fair for people who are born into a family with much wealth who could slack off and still live a “successful” life. People should all have equal chances at getting ahead in life and it should be based off of the work that one puts into their daily encounters, rather than their life situation and their family’s wealth.
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I agree that you have to be in the middle of the spectrum with determinism and freedom. For the most part, I agree that it is difficult to change your socioeconomic status throughout your life. If you are born into a substantial amount of wealth, you will stay wealthy because your parents will help support you throughout their lives and you will inherit a lot of money. If you are born into a middle or upper-middle class family, your job ambitions and standards would be higher than a minimum wage job because you have become accustomed to having nice things, and would strive to continue to have them throughout your life. If you are from a lower-class family, having a job with a lower salary may be the norm. Also, in a lower-class family, there may not be the same education opportunities (as seen with the urban school on The Oprah Show) and there may not be connections present that would aid in furthering your career.
I think that if you don’t come from money, how far you get with economic success can definitely depend on mental toughness. I saw the “Pursuit Of Happiness” movie, and I also went to the protagonist’s speech when he came to Penn State, and he was a single father, who made a lot of sacrifices and slept in shelters with his son and studied extremely hard so he could get a job on Wall Street and become financially successful. However, this was a very unique story, and if you are raised in a single family home and your parent is always working to support you and your many siblings, it may become your duty to take care of your siblings and cook them meals (instead of making homework your priority). This is a situation that is beyond your control that affects your chances of going to college.
When you come from money, it is definitely easier to be economically successful. Wealthy parents (regardless of race) will not require their children to have jobs because studying is their job. If their kids are struggling in school, they will hire tutors. In order to do well on the SATs, parents will enroll their kids in programs such as Stanley Kaplan or get them a private tutor. If their kids need help getting into the school of their choice, the parents might donate money, or their parents are connected through their jobs, the country club, etc. and know someone who can get their child into school. Having parents in a higher status also helps them get internships and jobs. While these opportunities make it substantially easier for wealthier children to succeed because they have a cushion, if they are lazy, they still will not make millions. However, it is much easier to have money than to not.
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Professor Richards' commentary on free will versus determinism was very interesting in that it got at the very root cause of racial differences in socio-economic status in the United States. The aspect of determinism with regard to socio-economic status relates to the situation in which an individual finds him/her self at birth. This particular viewpoint speaks to how the past shapes the present in race relations. Professor Richards' analogy of King of the Hill certainly comes to mind here. Obviously, racial and ethnic groups have very drastically different pasts and current average economic status is primarily influenced by this past. The races that have been subjugated in the past by those on top of the hill, per say, are usually the races that are still struggling economically today. Those racial groups who got to the top of that hill are still likely to be economically well of on average.
Free will is the ideology that opposes somewhat that of determinism. This ideology states that each individual has the ability and will to change his/her economic status by the choices he/she makes to avoid and overcome obstacles in the way of social and economic advancement. In my opinion, perhaps the most interesting part of Professor Richards' dialogue pertained to how racial groups themselves effect the ideology that is disseminated. The people at the top of the economic ladder support a primarily free will-based perspective within which the people along the lower rungs of society may find hope for mobility. Those who are subjected beneath other socio-economic groups at times experience a determinstic attitude toward their situation. Truly, the overall point of the lecture seemed to be to demonstrate that each of these viewpoints are certainly valid and require equal consideration at all times. There is not one definite answer to the question "how can we explain racial differences in socio-economic in our country?". Instead, we must approach the question in terms of both past position in society and current decision making.
One particular part of the discussion that struck me was that we are always seemingly progressing beyond the racial "King of the Hill" constraints. The ideas of determinism are becoming less based on racial distinctions and more and more are defined on an individual family history basis. Also, the free will perspective places a specific emphasis on the motivation and work ethic of each individual person regardless of race or ethnicity. The free will perspective is one of hope and, while determinism is an important determinant, one's initial situation can be and has been overcome. Ultimately, socio-economic status has many determinants. These determinants, however, are becoming more and more individualistic as we move away from a past of subjugation and descrimination.
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I never really looked at any of this with this type of insight before, funny how it took so long to raise the question; why is it always black and white? She brought up Native Americans and in today’s world, we probably treat them worse than most other cultures, and yet the feud between blacks and whites have carried this far as to overshadow some of their own actions against other cultures.
When you type slavery into google all you get is pictures of blacks and whites, but yet at a time Native Americans were slaves too. No one ever depicts that side of it, and it’s overwhelming that this black and white mess can still overshadow it all.
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This lecture made me think more than it made learn, which I believe is just as important. Throughout high school my mom was a huge outside force. Joining key club, national honor society, student government, and being a class officer would have never happened without my mom being on me. I still made many decisions such as being an athlete and all the time I put into sports. Hanging out with friends, and getting in trouble was a decision I also made on my own. I believe I was balanced, near the middle but looking back, I was more on the molded by my parent’s side. When I type that I think it sounds bad, but really, I wouldn’t be at Penn State if I was always on my own. On the other extreme, I would never want to be strictly guided by my parents. I couldn’t stand being the type of person that just studies all the time and worries about getting a single B for a semester. To conclude, I definitely agree with Sam when he says that it’s generally best to be in the middle of freedom and determinism.
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You would think that people realize that in order to know both sides to any issue, you do have to be in the middle like Sam says, but people become so ignorant to one side because they are so insistent that the side they are on is right. Honestly, it’s just common sense that every issue has two sides, but people become so wrapped in them that they think that really there is only one side. Labeling yourself as a Conservative or a Liberal is only setting yourself up as being ignorant. I think a lot of today’s issues, whether they are political or not, tend to revolve around if you are on a certain side or not. Why not just solve these issues by being on both sides (or none?) and be in that gray area that Sam discusses in the video?
Another thing about Sam’s post… he really did rock the class that day. It wasn’t only that class that he taped, but also later that day, which is the class that I am in. He was like, “Dude, I rocked you guys. I’m giving you gold.” He does a good job with opening up people’s minds to think about different issues and the sides that are involved with them. I understand that he is not trying to persuade anyone to take his word for everything he says, rather he just wants to simulate our minds and think about these things we tend to overlook in our lives. I mean, yes, we do acknowledge certain ideas about races and ethnicities, but do we really take the time to think about them? I am not trying to say that what Sam says everyday is always the way we should think about things (because there are some points that I do not completely agree with, but I am not ignorant to them either), but there is a point to these lectures and it is to open up and simulate our minds. I think many of these “Liberals” and “Conservatives” lack the mentality to think that way.
During class that day, Sam also brought up the idea about people being born into their fates like people who are born rich will always be rich. Parents who are poor? Your kids will be poor too. I do not completely agree with this, but in a general overview of the world, you tend to see these trends. I know a lot of people who were angry with the statements he made about this issue, and I can definitely see where they come from because the kids whose parents are poor will think of this as Sam telling them they just false hope for their futures. Maybe there was purpose in the lectures to push them in this way?
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with Sam's lecture on Tuesday and the fact that you must look at both sides of the argument in order to truly grasp what is going on. In my life I have witnessed both poor people who have worked really hard to get where they are, and rich people who are lazy and simply live off of their paren'ts wealth. There is no explanation as to why we were born into the family that we are in, however, we must realize how lucky most of us as penn state students have been. I thought that the Oprah video did a great job in illustrating the differences that being born just a few miles apart can have on a person's life. It is not anyone's fault that they were born in a poor area and now must attend a poor school, and it also isn't the wealthier kids faults that they were fortunate enough to be born in a rich area and have the ability to attend a much wealthier school. It is wrong for either side to look down upon the other because by and large it is just luck of the draw that they are in the situations that they are. I do feel, however, that anyone can better their situation no matter how dire it may be, even if they have to work much harder than most people to get it.
In my own life I have been fortunate enough to have been born into a middle class family with hardworking parents who are able to provide me with a lot of help when it comes to my college education. Although I do have a lot of loans that I will have to pay back after school I don't have to worry about where the money is going to come from for next month's rent or how I am going to get groceries this week. While I am very fortunate in this aspect I also feel that I have not been able to skate through life and I have had to work hard in order to get where I am today so it is definately a mix of the situation that you are born into and the choices you make.
While the stats on standardized test are alarming, the trend is not all that suprising. The more wealth your family has, the better resources that will be available to you and the easier it will be to learn. Also, it is much easier for a kid who doesn't have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from to focus on schoolwork than it would be for someone who is struggling to survive. Overall, I feel that something must be done in order to more evenly distrubute the wealth when it comes to our nation's education system.
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I liked the model of freedom and determinism that Sam talked about in class. I am definitely one who did not face many obstacles growing up. My parents pay for my college and I only work during the summer. My parents did not have it as easy, and they were both some of the first in their family to attend college. They worked hard to provide a higher standard for their children than they had growing up. I have had many friends who resented the face that I did not have to have a constant job to support myself. I have also wondered how having more job experience would have changed me, making me more mature, responsible, whatever. But my parents worked hard to provide for me so that I didn't worry about money like they did as they went to college.
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While Sam put into perspective that the middle is the best place to be. No body wants to be in that position thats why we all strive to be the very best. Think about it. Since you were a baby, you were always pushed to try to be better than the next kid. If that wasn't the case then what was the use of having trophies and awards. If you were stuck in the middle all of the time what did you receive? Nothing! Seeing that you learn and yearn to be on the top not taking offense or caring about who you screw or step on to get to that position that will give you the most glory.
When we graduated from high school, did the school acknowledge those who had decent averages? No, They made an award simply for the 2 best students, the valedictorian and the salutatorian. Being stuck in the middle is good but we need to be able to improve our living conditions. if your parents were in the median, it should be your goal to step it up a notch. as each generation goes by , your family will not be in the same line of the spectrum while others rush you by.
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I remember seeing this video about four years ago when it aired on ESPN. I remember watching it then and not thinking much of it because of my maturity level and my zero interest in soccer. But watching it again now, after maturing a lot and following soccer for the past couple years, it hits home pretty hard. The first thing that I can't comprehend is how people can treat other people like this just because of their race and skin color. I understand heckling the opposing team's players during the games to get into their heads and throw them off their game plans, it's done in every sport all over the world. Having home field/court/ice advantage is known by the sports world to be a benefit because you have the support and cheers of your fans in the background during the whole game. But what I don't understand is how people can treat other people like this. I do agree with heckling the other team, like i previously stated, but when it turns into throwing objects like bananas and peanuts at them and using racial derogatory terms throughout the whole game then it has to be stopped. Another thing I can't comprehend my mind around is that these players are the elite players in the league. If it wasn't for some of these players, some of the European teams would be nowhere near as successful as they are. And it's ridiculous how the home team fans disgrace their own players because of their color. Like i said, after following international soccer for the past couple years, i have realized how elite these players really are and how much they carry their teams, and for the home team fans to disgrace them like that makes absolutely no sense to me.
Even though I agree that these acts are horrific and need to be stopped immediately, I can see where the Europeans are coming from even if it isn't acceptable. First, the Europeans have been dominating soccer since it existed. Soccer, or futbol, has always been known as a European sport and never really caught on in the United States except for the past couple years. Now all these players from other parts of the world are coming over and taking over the game and completely dominating it. I see where this would frustrate the Europeans because it's like other people are coming over and just taking over THEIR sport, but that does not justify their horrific racial actions. Also, Europe has always been a white dominated country. Look back into history at the Holocaust and other horrific events that took place in Europe. Even today it is still a very white populated continent, and now people are not only coming over from other countries with different racial backgrounds but they are coming over and dominating the European sport. Overall I do see where the Europeans are coming from and how this would upset them tremendously, but no matter what that does not justify the events that take place at soccer games and they need to be ceased immediately.
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I truly agree with Sam's views on freedom vs. determinism. I personally am a believer in the idea that anyone can be whatever they want and that they must deal with the hand that they are given but some people truly do get dealt a really bad hand. I think I am such a firm believer in the idea that you can do whatever you put your mind to because i was born to a teen mother who worked her way entirely through college and ended up graduating from Cornell University. My father, also a teen when I was born, worked his way through college and now owns a very successful insurance company. I just feel that if they can make it and do such great things with their life and be able to raise a daughter who now attends Penn State University… that's pretty impressive.
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After attending the recitation last week and talking to other students in my section, I have thought a lot about the lecture that Sam gave on Tuesday. While I was in class, I may not have been paying attention, but I did pay attention enough to comprehend what Sam was saying about the difference between Conservative and Republican and Liberal and Democrat and make my own opinion about the subject. The reason I like the recitations each week is that after thinking about the ideas Sam throw out in class, I can talk to other students and see what they think compared to me. During my recitation, I wish we could have talked more about this because I think this is important for when we get older because unless you take a political science class, no one really talks about politics or similar topics. For example, no one talks about what to do with taxes or how to mortgage your house when you get older. How are we supposed to know how to do that if no one tells us how to?
Now, I don’t know about other people, but I feel like our beliefs come from our parents. Even thought when we get older we are supposed to break away from parents and form our own ideas, but I feel like for most people we base everything off of our parents. For me, my parents are republicans. Therefore, as I have grown up I have taken the beliefs of my parents and just assumed that that is what I believe. For example, as I grew up I just assumed that I was republican because that is what my parents were. However, as I grew up and went to college I started to believe my own ideas about politics. The problem is I don’t have enough knowledge about politics to form my own ideas. Fortunately, my dad tried to explain to me to help me make my own ideas. I believe that people can make their own choices, but it may start them off worse than others. For example, republicans believe that black people choose to not move up into society. However, after listening to Sam’s lecture on freedom and determinism, I have realized that I lay in-between republican and liberal, but more towards republicans. I fell like everyone starts out in the social structure that they are born into, but it is up to the individual to determine whether they stay in that social status or they move up into society/move down into society. I feel like it is more up to choice that eventually determines what status people are in society, but social structure does play a minor role.
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Freedom and determinism has shaped our world and will always do, what I don’t agree with you on is your theory about how people from middle class/ upper class family then you will be in a middle class/ upper class. I don’t know if it is just me, because I migrated here, and all I hear is that I should take advantage of my “luck”, but after I graduate from pharmacy school, I will be making twice as much as both my parents combined, and I don’t want to hear that I can’t do it, I don’t know if your opinion is different for immigrants but I hope it is because it will be when I come show you my degree.
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You joked earlier about democrats thinking they are liberals, but to be honest I think most people don’t know what they are saying most of the time. I think if people were to look at a list of some of the issues and contradicting sides, they would find that at many times people would find themselves battling the line that separates the two as everyone feels something different about each issue. Personally I feel the need to have another strong party, one that can take a little more from these two and mold it into something different. Maybe it will make the entire process a lot more exciting too. Most of the time, I hate both candidates for one reason or another.
As for Sam’s words the other day regarding needing to find the center, and needing to dodge obstacles, I found myself repeating this to a friend who was having a hard time later that day. Thanks for making me look like a hero, but it actually got me thinking a lot about my life and directions I have gone since I was a kid. I feel like I went down both roads at one time in my life. I’ve been the kid who chases the dream, I’ve also been the kid who is relaxed and kind of skating his way through till something lucky happens. It really helped me see how I can balance both worlds, how I don’t have to live with the stress of everyday life and the pressure, but I can be determined and never let any obstacle put me down. I’ve changed some habits this semester, and kind of found myself a lot happier doing so.
I realize how lucky I am myself, and how fortunate I am to have what I do have, an opportunity, and a good one at that. It is remarkable to believe how someone’s income can determine the chances of kids going to college that much. I am a believer that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it though, I’ve seen it done, hell I use to do it awhile back. Not all of us are in the same position but at one point we all hit boundries, some more than others. It’s amazing how chance and luck have played an interesting role in our history. I will say it again, we are all very lucky.
ps- i think i might have copied and pasted another essay to a different blog post that i wrote, so i thought i would send this again just in case you didn't receive it, I always feel a little uncertain with these things. thank you
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I have to agree with many of the previous posts before me, that a path in the middle is the most intellectual place to remain when evaluating freedom versus determinism. I support Dr. Richards theory that the forces outside of us, the structures we are born into, the locations, the families and the values that our society value all come together to shape and dictate certain aspects of our lives. But I also firmly believe in the freedom to make our own choices. This delicate intertwining makes it easy for some people to latch on to one or the other theory in different situations. It is easy for those to blame the system when they encounter an enormous obstacle, as it is easy for the human that is 'given' everything they need to succeed to claim that hard work is what got them there. I believe that both of these theories encompass many psychological factors of the human being which innately exist. The thirst for success, recognition, protection of self worth, etc…All of these components, and many more, come together to form our esteem as competent beings.
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I can only speak from my experiences which have formed my beliefs. I was a very lucky child growing up. My parents were both raised overseas, my mother was born in Norway and moved to the states when she was a teenager, my father raised in Sweden and moved back to the US around the same time. They both worked hard at their respective careers and met later in life. They had my brother and I and we lived a good life. When I was nine, my mother's mother passed away, a few months later my father died in an automobile accident and the following year my mother's father died. This story is more about my mother than me, if it had not been for her determination and strength; I believe my life would be far different today.
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She could have collapsed and blamed anything and everything for her losses, but rather than blame the forces which so deeply affected her life, she made choices to better herself and our family during terrible times. She continues to persevere each day, as a single parent, putting two children ages, 20 and 21 through college at Penn State University. Yes, I am beyond lucky to have a mother that can pay for my college career, and I appreciate her more than she probably knows. She claims that these are the things you do for your children, and that I will continue on to do the same. Rather than view myself as skating through life, I look forward to the days that I will be able to repay my mother and give my own children the same gifts I have been given.
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I find extreme honor in the freedom theory versus determinism, this could most definitely be because of my own experiences, but the choices of my mother determined my life today. She has modeled wisdom and intellect through her active decisions, which I will carry on throughout my life. I understand that the situations we are in can be suffocating but there is always a choice, these first steps are the most courageous but imperative in making our lives more personally satisfying.
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In the world we live in, it’s so easy to want to believe in the freedom perspective because we are so used to watching movies and listening to music that discuss the “rags to riches” phenomenon. Every year we see people bettering themselves purely out of the determination they have to beat the odds. However, in reality its not so easy to better yourself purely on wanting to. There are certain factors that can lead someone to have the determination it takes to raise themselves up and defying the obstacles that are placed in their way.
A factor that aids in lessening the importance of determinism and increase the prevalence of free will is to cultivate a talent. Some people can sing, others can play sports, but if you ignore your talents and choose to live life according to the theory of determinism, you will be less likely to succeed. However, those who can discover their talent and practice will open new opportunities for themselves that will in turn lead them to better places in their life. This is the basis for many movies about athletes that come from the worst parts of the country. This is also the biggest problem in convincing people that free will isn’t everything.
Another factor that is important is having a role model, whether it be a dedicated parent, teacher, social worker, or friend. Having someone else to look up to can help you want to get yourself out of your current situation and reach for the impossible. Peer pressure for example is not something that is easy to overcome. If you are a teenager in the inner city the statistics are against you because you are likely to be pulled into the “underworld” or crime culture. Yet, if you live in the inner city but your mother works to educate you in manners and morals you will be more likely to want to get out of the inner city. Likewise, if you can have a role model that is living a life of happiness and fulfillment you will want to achieve the same for yourself.
These stories of rags to riches are inspiring, however, the amount of people who are able to succeed is very low. Most of the athletes or musicians or academics who do “make it” not only cultivated their talents but they also had a role model who inspired and led them to where they are.
I don’t know whether you can count having a role model a part of determinism, whether it is a factor out of our control, or something we choose to have in our lives. Could you argue that if you don’t want to have a role model you will not succeed? Regardless of the label, it is the push and pull of others that help shape us to become who we are meant to be.
p.s. i apologize for the lateness, I had a family emergency at the end of the week.
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I could not agree more with the idea that we should not allow ourselves to remain on the extreme ends of the spectrum when it comes to determinisms vs. free-will. Once you align yourself to one of the extreme most radical views, you adopt a mild ignorance whereby you become unaccepting of other ideas that do not pertain to your exact views.
There are many such public and private figures out there, both democrats and republicans, but for some reason, Rush Limbaugh and Don Imus come to mind. They love to get attention to their radio talk-shows by spewing radical views which they know will anger many on the opposing end of the spectrum. From hoping that President Obama will fail to using derogatory terms towards those of African-American descent, these two “public” figures have incited much anger and bitter political battles that only weaken our ability to work in a bipartisan manner to accomplish what we need to move this country forward.
Similar to their polarizing views, we should also look at this specific instance regarding inequality and understand that many people are placed under conditions that are extremely unfavorable in terms of their socio-economic success keeping in mind that they do, to some extent, have the ability to make choices despite these circumstances. The key to these types of views is finding a nice spot in the middle where we can take an objective look at both views and understand where people with these respective mind-sets are coming from.
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I definitely think Tuesday's lecture was awesome. It answered a lot of questions that I have been wondering about. Such as equality and income and how everything is justified. This class is so interesting, and when talking about freedom and determinism I completely agree with that the best intellectual area to be is in the middle area, also known as the gray area.
If you're on one side of the spectrum you have complete thoughts about that area and aren't willing to look outside of the box, same with the opposite side of the spectrum. Where as in the gray area is the best because you are opened to different sides and are willing to hear opinions. Where ultimately will give you a bigger view of what is going on and open to multiple ideas.
Taking this into account I think this is the best way to live life. Be open to both sides and think more about what is going on in the world other than taking one stand. I think by taking this class Sam is opening my views and teaching me to be more open to whats out there instead of taking one stand and being one hundred percent behind that. I think the things we are learning in this class are mind blowing and proving a lot of points about our society.
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I really enjoyed Sam's lecture, but the choice to sit right in the middle is not easy for me,even though I am from a lower middle class family. Your perspective really boils down to the fact of economic standing. It is easier for the wealthy to say that it is all freedom of choice and you can do whatever you want in life because they face no challenges monetarily. It is also easier for the lower class person to believe that determinism is the main factor of success as they have many more obstacles to overcome with less help along the way. In this country, being born into wealth provides an extreme advantage to you as you won't face these obstacles and chances are, will remain in the same economic standing as your parents. That is why the majority of students attending Penn State come from fairly well off families, while the remainder struggle with loans and most likely grades more so than others. Coming from a lower middle class family, I see both ends of the spectrum but more strongly believe in freedom of choice rather than determinism. I had a basic education and went to a fairly nice school, but not as fancy or poor as some other students. Now that I do attend Penn State and especially from classes like Soc 119, I realize how important it is to reach my full potential. Why should I settle for middle or lower class when opportunity is sitting right in front of me? I have overcome some monetary obstacles to make it here and it is to my benefit to do the best I possibly can. Then my children in the future can have an advantage because of decisions I now make. In my opinion, no matter the obstacles, they can be overcome. Everyone really does have the power to make it here in the US. Sure, some people have it easy. Really easy. But so what? Look at your situation and what you need to do to reach your goals and the expectations you hold for your future. I know people from the inner city that have overcome obstacles I could not have imagined. But they did not let their situation prevent them from coming here. You may have to work 10 times harder than the next person, but if its worth it, stop being lazy and do it. In the end, some people are handed success, while some have to work for it. But never blame the situation you were born into for the outcome of your life. Throughout my whole life I was happy with what I had and that's all I can ask for my children, but I know that if I apply myself more that they can have an advantageous and comfortable life, so that is what I will do.
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I completely agree with Sam on this but not just about how people’s lives turn out or where they end up on the social scale. I think every aspect in life you have to be in the grey area. How would you ever be able to think about anything if you aren’t? I hate when people only can see one way and they feel their way is the only way. I am a stubborn person when it comes to the way I want things done but during a discussion, I feel that is important to always see both sides of the story. Nothing is life is ever black and white and I think every person needs to realize that. We are such a small scale in the matter of the world. If you really think about it why ever only see one way, because your opinion really doesn’t matter if you are the only one who thinks it. So express it but be open to thinking another way because if not you will never be able to grow.
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I think Sam’s discussion was just as relative as all of the rest that he gives out. While I understand that the whole concept of freedom vs determinism is somewhat foreign to many of the students in our class, I would not say I consider it so far-fetched.
As college students, many of us are naïve/ignorant to the world that surrounds us. Everyone is so focused on his or her own lives that they fail to consider how or why the world moves around them. Many are content just accepting things the way they are, whether right or wrong because as far as they are concerned, if they are happy than that is all that matters. I would be ignorant to say that I spend all of my time thinking about others and that I am some prince but it disappoints me to see that so many of our peers struggle with this idea. If you take a second to read most of the posts that come through this blog, you will find that the majority of students spend at 60% of their time talking about their own experiences. There is not a problem with this, but I challenge everyone to try and talk more about the concepts we learn in class and how they affect the world instead of just talking about yourself and how the ideas affect you.
Similar to many of the posts above, I like to think that those who put themselves some where in the middle of the argument are best situated. I believe there are too many circumstances depending on the person to truly say that the freedom or determinism is the proper argument. Going back to my earlier comment, it is a lot easier to make a case for either when you are oblivious to what is really happening in our world. Those who are dirt poor and have limited opportunities are likely to argue that they have no chance because of the way the “system” is setup. On the contrary, the rich person is most likely to say that the dirt-poor people are just lazy bums and haven’t worked hard enough to truly reach success. The fact of the matter is that each person is partially right. As humans we tend to rely/look for excuses as to why things are the way they are because it is a lot easier to make judgments than to accept something different from you. Those who take the common ground and realize that there really is no one solution (or reason?) to a problem that affects so many people in a different way are in a better position to find a less aggressive approach. It is then that we can understand each other.
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I found Sam’s lecture on Tuesday to be very mind opening and truly made me think. I agree with Sam’s lecture, that the best place to be is in the middle or the gray area. It forces people in society to not be unaware of many of the issues that are occurring in our society. Sam talked about the fact that we are all faced with obstacles at some point in our lives. Some of us encounter tougher obstacles than others, such as those students who are paying their way through college. However, these obstacles can all be overcome at some degree. I do agree that those who come from wealthier families have a much higher chance of becoming wealthy themselves. However, I also believe that someone coming from a poor background can obtain this wealth as well. Although, they may have to encounter more obstacles and troubles to reach this goal, their hard work and determination will pay off. Life is what you make of it. Although our backgrounds and environment shape who we are today, mobility can be achieved.
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Freedom and Determinism was a great lecture. Many people of many different colors have gone from rags to riches but this generally is not the case. In this great country we are told we can be anything we want to be which is a pretty idea to entertain but the truth is life is not fair. This being said people of disadvantaged backgrounds need to stop playing the victim. The playing field is not level and never will be. Obama beat Mccaine like the family mule without playing the race card–hard work pays…talk is cheap. Janet Reno didn't rise to her position using her good looks. If you want something go get it…and if you fail-well the world needs ditch diggers too. Just be happy your living in the US opposed to a third world country where your only options are to prematurely die of AIDS, Malaria, or Starvation.
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II found it very interesting to see two such different views on why things are the way they are and why people are where they are at in the world. Of course, like with most things, the middle is where it is at. It could also be how somebody views their situation and life. Some people truly believe that social influences are the reason why their lives are the way they are. Others believe that they can do whatever they want and get anywhere as long as they set their minds to it and work at it. So, I guess there really is no one or the other with these two things.
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Additional Blog # 2
Freedom and determinism. Which one do we choose? A variety people would say that this a trick question. Well in my opinion the answer is quite simple. The best place for anyone to be is right in the middle.
Last Tuesday, Dr. Richards gave a superb lecture about freedom and determinism. It was amazing how he actually made you take into account all the things that occur within your life and how we must process them. For example, I personally am not receiving any help from my parent financially with school. Although we are a middle class family, they still did not have the funds to send me to school. This was an obstacle, but for me it was easy to work around. See even though my parentsdo not have the money to pay for my schooling, does not mean that cannot be here at PennState. I worked around the clock every day. I held two jobs while I was in high school and worked damn hard on my school work so that I could earn scholarships that would be able to pay for my schooling. Now my parents do not have to worry about anything.
As Dr. Richards said, “You may have obstacles that stand in the way of what you want, but it is your choice on how you get around them.” For me, I could not control the fact that my parents did not have the money to send me to school and I still can’t. However, I work hard every day and I am determined to stay and school regardless of any obstacle.
I know people may say well it is hard to do anything when you cannot control some things in your life. Hey, I am not saying that it isn’t hard, but I am saying that the fight is not over. We all have the right to make decisions that can either benefit us or hurt us. It all depends on what decision you make and how much responsibility are you willing to take for your decision. In conjunction with that, we all can say we are determined to do anything, but how are determined are you to stick with what you say you are going to do. Ultimately, the ball is in our courts, but we must decide when to start the game.
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Sam’s class was very energetic. He does has that personality that gets the class stirred up even if that is the cause of him bringing everyone to think they are fired up. Though in his defense, most of the classes that I am a part of are much different compared to his, but anyhow I thoroughly enjoyed Sam Richard’s class or lecture on Free Will vs. Determinism. I also find it troubling that he finds the wisdom that he imparts upon us as liquid gold. Consider the other perspectives, truths, and cultures that think differently or have an entire different concept of these two terms. I just want some acknowledgement. There is an attitude of superiority, and he defends that attitude with words, as he has in the past couple of classes at the beginning, but the message hasn’t seemed to change.
Though I find a lot oh honesty and truth in his statements. This class was one of the first instances where someone has so seamlessly laid out the difference between freewill and determinism. It gave me a new perspective on the terms and a better understanding. Also it allowed me to make the decision for myself rather than the media, politicians, my culture, etc…
I am still in some ways mixed as to what I really feel is right, what is just, what is correct in my own mind, when it comes to these ideas of free will and determinism. I mean when thinking about these ideas I also begin to think in a more varied manner. Considering religion, philosophy, my own life. For example, do we even have free will, is there a God who has granted us free will, are there angels without, or has he given us the false hope of free will and in reality has the entire thing (the cosmos) planned out? Let me guess its not that black and white. No shit? That’s what Im trying to get at I believe. Maybe not.
So you can see the types of ramblings that confound my head. I see such unfairness in my own country and other places that I have been. Such grave injustice, it is difficult for me to say that we should not all be equal, that we do not owe others anything, because I have seen so many instances where those who have the liberty to exploit a community/individual will do just that and do with no remorse. It pisses me off, and I seriously wish I could force them to eat feces. That doesn’t work, and making them give back doesn’t work either because in the end it hasn’t changed them or the way they will act when no ones around. So the bottom line is how do we right these injustices when free will provides us with the ability to fulfill our carnal, physical, monetary desires at the expense of others?
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Honestly, I completely feel like most people in my generation don't even know what it truly means to be Democratic/Republican or Liberal/Conservative. I'm glad Sam hit on this topic in lecture because I'm so tired of people sitting around campus having empty arguments about the economy or taxes or healcare or whatever the major issue of the day is. They don't even know all the details and only spout whatever it is that they heard on CNN or the news last night. Few of them have managed to have an original thought. It really became apparent to me in the last presidential election. People voted one way or another for basic reasons like "Look what the Republicans have done to our country in the last 8 years. Let's give the Democrats a chance." What kind of twisted logic is that? Is that really what you're going to base who you vote for off of? I think it's great that our generation has taken an active interest in political issues and has increased voter registration, but what's the point if you're not going to be a positive contribution? Coming out to vote isn't enough. You need to understand what it is that you are really voting for, or else our country is better off without your vote.
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