posted by Sam Richards
…because, honestly, I have other things that I could be doing. Two things stand out. First, he wants “honesty.” Second, there are two questions: 1. Does anything change your opinion, 2. Has anything “made a difference to you.”
05
Apr
This is a good question that probably a lot of people would not want to ask for the fear of looking "close-minded" or "cold-hearted" or something negative like that. But it really is a question that I think a lot of people have thought about or wanted to ask. For me, I kind of agree with this kid on the level that I don't really think I am going to change my lifestyle based off of what we learned in this class. Yes, some of the stuff was eye opening and made you think, but how many people can really say that they are going to change due to this class? Are people going to stop buying name brand clothes? Are they not going to eat chocolate? Go out looking to make friends of a different color? I just don't see people making any extra effort to change the way they live just because of things said in this class. It's kind of sad to say, and almost makes you feel like a bad person, but until people are directly affected by something, they usually are going to continue with their lives as usual. As a society we are used to the comforts that we have, and are going to continue wearing the clothes we like, eating what we like, etc. Wrong doings going on overseas are not going to draw the permanent attention of too many people.
With that being said, I don't want to discredit the material of this class. I did learn a lot of new facts and had some revelations. There are so many things going on in the world today still that you would never think or realize. Reading Disposable People was really shocking. People in this country think slavery is a thing of the past, but the book showed very much otherwise. It's crazy to think of the injustices that still occur in the world today, a world that is supposed to be civilized and sophisticated.
So overall, I both agree and disagree with this person's comment. I disagree with him saying that nothing that Sam said has meant anything. I definitely feel more informed about race issues in our own country and around the world. But I can't honestly say that I am going to leave this class and change the way I live. It would just be a lie for me to write on this wall telling people how much I've changed and all the good things I'm going to do now. And I don't want to speak for other people, but I think that most of the people who say they are going to go out and change, are really just saying that and can't bare to say the truth for everyone to see. But for the people who are truly changed and do things to help the people we learned about, they're better people than me and more power to them.
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This is a very good question and from the beginning of class Sam’s intention was never to change anyone’s opinion, it was to get us to think about things that you usually never think about. I don’t really think my opinion has changed but I have definitely started thinking more about things that Sam brings up. I feel that Sam is a professor that I never had in college and he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks and just says things that people think about all the time. When Sam brought up the talk about bleeding and women getting their periods you never actually sit down and talk to your guy friends about your periods its not a topic of conversation, but in reality guys started to react to it in different ways. I brought it up in front of some of my guy friends and they told me that they don’t really care that much about it. That women should be able to talk about whatever they want whenever they want just like men are able to. Everything Sam talks about in class are things that people always want to talk about but never want to be the person to bring it up. I feel like class has been very redundant and it goes in a circle over and over again. I don’t think peoples opinions are changing because it is very hard to change someone’s point of view about things but people can certainly think about it more. I think race relations is a really good topic and doing the race relations project is worthwhile because you never really get to talk about certain things with complete strangers. I think every student at Penn State should have to attend a race relations project at least once before they graduate. I feel that it is very important for students to understand and be able to discuss things that people always think about but never really say. I thought it is very interesting to learn about other people’s views and opinions on things that are brought up everyday. I also feel that if your from an area that is not diverse and you want to be able to learn more and expand your knowledge about race relations that you should definitely take a course like this. I think it was such an eye opener for me, and I really enjoyed talking to other people about their views on real life experiences with race relations. I think having a professor like Sam really helped me think about things I never thought about before. I went to a very diverse high school and even still I learned about things I never ever thought about before.
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This is a great question to ask students and I have to be honest and say that I really have not changed my opinion and it really has not made a difference to me and I really do not care about what goes on in class. Sam is a great teacher but I just do not have the desire to sit there and listen to things about race and the problems that are occurring today and how we need to fix them and how this is red land and how we stole this land from native Americans. I have to be honest and say none of it really bothers me and my mind has never changed about anything and none of it really bothers me. I guess that it just who I am.
I feel like a lot of the things we talk about is just basic stuff and also I feel like we get a lot of facts thrown at us and it really just is not for me. I mean some of the stuff he says I think about after class and it is very bad sometimes when race is involved or what whites or blacks are compared to everyone else but I still have to say that I am the same person I was when I first entered the class. Do not get me wrong the class is interesting and entertaining but I just do not have anything to say and it does not interest me therefore I have not changed my opinion about anything of the subjects we cover in class.
I think this class is good because people can just go there and talk about their feeling on different topics each day which is why I think this class is so popular. But I feel like most students leave that class not remembering what even went on in the class today. Maybe Sam is not trying to get us to change our opinions which some may believe he is, I think he is just trying to get us too think about what goes on in the world today in terms of race and slavery among other topics. I do like this class but I just have to say that it is not for me. Do not get me wrong these questions and topics that arise in class are very important and need to be discussed and I am sure that there will people that will be more than happy to sit here and talk about them and discuss them and argue of them but I have to say that it is just not for me because I just think that it does not make a difference to me what is said. I think my mind is already set and nothing said in this class is going to make me feel bad or change my opinion.
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i feel the information sam says needs to be taken in with a grain of salt. obviously not everything sam says in class i agree with. with that being said, this class has helped me open my eyes to myself and our society. this may not be due to the fact of what sam is teaching or the stories he shares, but more through the discussion group i am in. our class has really helped me become more comfortable with race and being able to talk about race. the idea of race is no longer taboo with me anymore. i feel i can be free to talk about my feelings and share my true beliefs. the group i am in is very open to others opinions and beliefs and welcomes new ideas. our group has shied away from quoting sam and rather has been able to question this. i believe that this is what sam is trying to do. some of his stories are far fetched and seem a little exaggerated. i think this is what he aims to do, since this then leaads to more discussion. i take what he says and shape it into my world, and surprisingly this works and helps me gain a better understanding. i would hope this is true for everyone and i actually through my naive self, did beleive this. i did believe everyones eyes were opened to the harsh world of our society. i thought that everyone in class eyes opened as did mine when we saw moving videos and unbelievable facts. i feel sorry for those that can not get anything out of this class and change the way they live. that lack of desire to change shows their true ignorance to what is going on in the world, to what is going on at our campus. this class was recommended by a friend and i wanted a class that had that wow factor. the first day it happened and from then on out i have seen myself change through the process or revisioning. i am beginning to become angry at my own race for the atrocities that we have put other people through, and for no reason. today in class i thought to myself, why are blacks the ones getting enslaved and being the center of racism? i couldnt help but think that white people were the cause of all this since they are the ones at the head of companies using black labor. the media is owned by white people, who portrays blacks in a negative light. i just cant think of how to change the minds of others. i truly feel this class does that through sams teaching and the discussion groups that cover these sensitive topics.
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This is a kind of dumb question to ask. I don’t, especially after today’s lecture on slavery, have any idea how this class cannot change your mind on at least one issue or at the very least inspire some new thoughts to go through your head. The goal that Sam stated from day one is that he just wants us to think. I was sitting by this kid today, and he didn’t even eat the 2nd piece of chocolate so how can he say with a straight face that he has not taken into account anything that Sam has said this semester? One thing comes to mind, and that is that this kid is either arrogant or trying to be a hard ass. How many of us can honestly say that we knew that our cell phones and the chocolates that we love so much were all made with slave labor? It’s sad to me that people aren’t taking much away from this class. As a senior, this class has a special meaning to me. It is one of the top 5 classes that I have ever taken in my college career (one of the others being Sam’s soc 001 class) and one that definitely sticks with you. Sam and others like him who actually care and engage the students are a rare breed in collegiate academia. The class inspires change within you even though you may not notice. I can honestly say that even during the most innocent of conversations I find myself saying things that are extremely mature and that surprise my friends and family. The way that Sam’s class changes you is on an internal day-to-day type of level.
As for those who say that Sam just blames white people for everything and that offends them or whatever that’s too bad. White people deserve the blame. The Indians didn’t largely exterminate themselves and then sell their lands for pennies in exchange for reservations on their own. Black people didn’t enslave themselves (well, kinda) and then deny themselves the right to be called a citizen for such a long time. Truth is that white people have done all of these things and more. In a world where black babies would rather play with a white doll because they think they are prettier and nicer, how can you not place some blame on us whites? Discounting any wrongdoing by your ancestors doesn’t make any of these problems go away.
If this kid truly wants to get something out of this class, then maybe he should shut up during lecture and actually pay attention instead of bullshitting with his friends. Seriously dude, if you’re reading this, I sat near you the last few days and I could barely concentrate on what Sam was saying over your comments.
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sterlingb13 Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Thanks bro but maybe you shouldn't sit next to a kid in a Red Sonics Shawn Kemp Jersey, thats just asking for it.
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Pretty good question, although I do not believe most of the answers will be surprising. I'm sure the answers are mixed, but the majority of people should admit that this class has changed their views and opinions about SOMETHING. We have covered so many topics and Sam has made a great deal of good points. He may not be right about everything, but I think he's spot on most of the time. I mean even if your views have not changed, you still cannot possibly say this class was not valuable. I have learned a lot of things in this class that I had no idea about before. And whether or not Sam influenced my opinion, he reached his goal by getting me to think about the topics, and thus at least coming up with my own opinion on them. The two Sociology classes I have taking at Penn State (Soc 005 with Clemente, which was probably my favorite class ever & this course) have taught me way more important and value things about life than all my other classes combined. These classes should be required here at Penn State and I feel that the majority of students would agree. I do not really think Sam's goal is to change people's opinions. He stated in class he just wants everyone to think about the topics. Of course he would probably prefer if some students opinions were changed to ones that he shares also, but who does not want that. He succeeded in getting people to think about and become aware of all these topics and that is just as important of a accomplishment. This class has a great importance to me. I have learned a great deal just through the readings from the books. Although painfully long, the book on today's slavery opened up my eyes. Although I may not be actively doing anything to help stop the slavery that takes place today. At least I am aware of it, and know that it should not be a problem today. Learning about all the different topics covered since day 1 of class will help me successfully live my life. I feel that just being able to listen to what Sam has to say is an honor. I know I will think back to this class someday and be glad that I took it. I feel that awareness is the first step to all these problems. So maybe not everyone's opinions changed on topics discussed in class. But I bet that everyone gained a new awareness of the issues. And that I think is what is most important. I am way more aware of how this world works and all the injustices that occur here. As Sam said, the life we live right now is purgatory. See there's one thing right there he changed my mind about!
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What this class has done for me is really remind me of things I once knew. I was taught the tolerance thing in grade school, but I have been exposed to a lot of racism and negative stereotypes since. Living in my white world I don't see the statistics of how minorities are treated, and in the past I have blamed minorities entirely for their positions as opposed to considering the lack of opportunities that are provided to them. As a result, I will admit that I have had racist ignorant thoughts. What Sam has done for me is reminded me of why certain groups are at the bottom. It has made me think of how if I grew up less privileged, what path would I be on? I have not changed who I am entirely or had some huge revelation that has moved and touched me to the point of tears, but I certainly think I will leave the class as a more enlightened person then when I went in. Unless you happen to know everything or are simply to thick to see the facts right in front of you, I would find it hard to believe that you cannot take something away from this class.
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If nothing else, Sam raises new issues that I've never considered before–which is his goal, right? I wouldn't say that my opinions or feelings change about given issues, but by being asked to consider those feelings and opinions, I'm at least more aware of where I'm coming from.
I agree with some of the above comments that, at the beginning of the semester, I felt like I was learning a lot. Every class, I felt like I was inundated with new facts. However, these days, I feel like the tone of the class is usually the same. We may be learning new facts, but they all fall into the same over-arching categories, the same general message. Because we see so many numbers and facts, the weight of them feels further away from me.
Today's class on modern day slavery, however, opened my eyes. Obviously, I knew a lot of those facts by reading Disposable People, but I felt like watching the video had a much greater impact on me than the book did. Stories in a book can make me think about some issues, but seeing the scars all over a slave's body and hearing a slave's feelings about the products that he helps create…that was heavy stuff. After watching that video, I immediately decided not to eat chocolate again…and promptly caved about two hours later. I'm a little bit disgusted with myself, to be honest.
But throughout the class, I started thinking about all of the issues that exist in the world. Gay rights, sweatshops, environmental concerns, abandoned animals, modern day slavery…how do we sort through all of these issues? How do we pick which ones to pursue–as individuals, and as a society? I know that I'm a bleeding heart. If you tell me about anyone's hardship, I'll immediately internally vow to help that person out. But I forget these vows a second later, as soon as I'm confronted with another topic. I feel like, as an American society, we're constantly being asked to care about a million different causes, and I have no idea how to sort out which ones are the most important. Do we help where we think we'll have the most impact, or which problem most contradicts our core beliefs? Do we help where it's easiest, or do we help the small cause in hopes that we can help it to gain attention?
I feel like, throughout the semester, Sam's been asking us to care about a million different things. I'm sure that he asserts these extreme viewpoints 1) because he believes them but 2) because he knows that passion can lead to even a little change on our parts, individually. But, quite frankly, I'm getting overwhelmed by the world's problems. The plight of the Native Americans, inequality in the US, and now modern day slavery. And maybe I should be–a lot of them exist. At the same time, is my responsibility to myself, or to the world? What are my priorities, who should I be trying to help?
I'm a firm believer in human rights and human connections–in valuing the people around me and affecting the world positively, even in small ways. I believe that the most any of us can do is love the people we're with, to try to ease the pain of others. I would argue that the social worker who has no time for his or her family has contributed less than the housewife who loves & provides for her kids in an active way. I think, at the end of the day, we have an obligation to better the lives of those around us.
But, now I'm not so sure. Does this mean that, as privileged Americans, we can forget about the rest of the world? I don't necessarily believe that, either.
…well, to answer your question, yes. Sam's class makes me think, and even if I don't have all of the answers, I'm at least trying to figure something out.
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My thinking has absolutely changed due to Sam’s lectures, Lori’s books and the book on slavery that we read. My initial thinking before coming to this class was that I “didn’t see color” because my first crush was Korean, my first best friend was Mexican, my three best guy friends from high school are black, Mexican and Puerto Rican and my best friend in college is from Kazakhstan. Also, I am a Military brat so I have moved around a lot and have never had just all white friends. First of all, through Sam’s classes and the race relations group, I have learned that quite a few people at Penn State are from high schools that were mainly white with the percentage of white people up to almost 98% of the school. I did not realize that people really were not exposed to different races and cultures in high school. The next thing I realized through the stages that white people go through is that I absolutely see color, every day and every time I look at people, even though I have friends of color. Also, I realized where this anger towards white people who act racist comes from. Next, the part where he talked about how our president, congress and senators should be able to tell people “no” to all the demands that they request so that they do not have to tax us so much and that they can not ever satisfy all of these requests anyway. The biggest thing that Sam has done this semester is change my thinking from what I thought that black people have any equal chance to do well in all aspects of life, even if they come from the lower class or families in poverty, because they can get a good education, a good job and then improve their standard of living significantly. What Sam helped me realize is that African Americans do not have an equal chance to get into college, are discriminated against in jobs, are treated very unfairly in the criminal justice system and many just do not have the same opportunities to improve and will not due to where they start, that is likely where they will be as an adult. I really can’t believe that this guy says Sam hasn’t changed any of his opinions. I mean hasn’t he at least changed this guys way of thinking about periods and how it’s not so gross to talk about them after comparing a period to cutting your nails or your hair growing, and saying that you should have enough respect for your mother and/or sister to respect this normal bodily function. Sam has changed many more of my ways of thinking that I can’t even remember at the moment.
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This is a question I have been thinking to myself for quite some time now and so I am glad someone has finally asked it. I can only speak for myself and say that my opinions have not completely changed in fact there are some that he has given me more evidence to support my opinions. This class has open my mind to several different I had never even thought about before. I think that is what this class is all about. Sam set this class up to widen people's perspective on life and the wide variety of issues that are out there. So if people's opinion did change hopefully it is for the better. After all he always continues to remind us that he is just an average Joe and everything he is saying could be complete bs but he felt it up to us to decided for ourselves.
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I personally feel as though I had many of the views and opinions that Sam teaches about. I have always considered myself a very open and accepting person, and I think this class has helped me open up a little more, which I did not even know was possible. So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed the topics Sam has taught about, and before, I was blind to some of the things he has taught, such as how prevalent slavery still is. I think his class has made me more conscientious about worldly issues such as slavery, and also has made me become more aware of some of the decision I make on a daily basis. All in all, I think Sam's class has had a positive effect on me, and has strengthened some of the beliefs I already had.
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At the beginning of the semester I was thrilled with and loved Sam's class. After every class I was really questioning and thinking about what he had to say. After the classes on LGTBA issues, American Indian genocide, black Americans getting shut out of housing from the GI Bill, the "bleeding" class, my friend and I would have deep and insightful discussions on what Sam went over in class. Recently however, I have felt very bored with the repetitive nature of Sam's class until today. Sam was talking about slave labor and chocolate. I love chocolate. If you asked me for one food I could eat for the rest of my life it would be chocolate. I cannot get enough of it. However in today's lecture Sam showed us a video about slaves who work on coco fields and it was absolutely mortifying. I was almost reduced to tears watching this video. The part in the video that really moved me was at the end when one of the boys said, "when people eat chocolate they are eating my flesh". Sam gave us a piece of chocolate before the video started and the remaining taste in my mouth tasted like poison. I had absolutely NO IDEA that slave labor was used in the chocolate making process just like I really did not know how bad the American Indians suffered here in this country when the Europeans first came here. The boy in this video doesn't seem too impressed with Sam's lecture, and I will admit sometimes they can be quite repetitive and boring, but Sam is doing his job by getting us to think about issues we had no idea even existed or think about these issues in a new light. Sam showed us another slide about other foods that were made from slave labor and he even told us things he bought contained slave labor. However after the video was over Sam told us to eat the second piece of chocolate. I was confused, I said to myself "didn't you just watch that video?" Sam went on to make the point that it's not like you would never eat chocolate again in your life so why not just eat it. But then Sam alluded to the fact that God is watching our actions and that since we are aware of the slavery situation in the chocolate industry and don't do something about it we might be turned away at the Pearly Gates. I was confused with his logic, and I certainly wanted to get this cleared up because as a chocolate addict I was in a sticky situation. Every time I even think about chocolate now I will see these poor boy's faces from the video. However, as I was thinking about this and discussing it on the way home from class I came to the realization that Sam didn't show us that video for us to never eat chocolate again. He just wants to think. Even though Sam's class can get a little redundant after awhile he is really doing his job as sociologist because he is getting me to think. So to the boy in the video, yes I have definitely learned some interesting facts, views, and opinions from Sam's class. I can't say that they will change my own opinions but he is getting me to think, that is his job, and he is doing a great job of it. As for my chocolate dilemma, I will spread the word to others about the awful conditions of coco workers, I will research information on free trade chocolate (I did when I went home after class) and try to buy free-trade at whenever possible.
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So for honesty: I think Sam’s class is overrated. When it first started I thought that this was a professor that really made me want to think about things that were always on my periphery. I was so excited about the class that I even considered finding about being a teaching assistant. But then I found that over the weeks of attending class I was greeted with the same lecture over and over and over again. It started with some thought provoking subjects but I always find that the subjects segue into Sam ranting about something. Then instead of focusing on the topic I leave class more focused on Sam’s behavior. I think if the material were presented in a way where I feel like I am not being lectured by someone who constantly reminds us how experience he has it would be easier to keep the thoughts churning in my head. I will give the class props for bringing these subjects in front of my face instead of on the periphery but I do not know if I will change my opinion about anything. For instance in lecture today we were shown a heartbreaking video about slave children working on cocoa plantations. Sam did an exercise where we are told to eat one piece of chocolate, watch the video, and then eat the second piece. Of course after seeing such horrifying events people do not want to eat the second piece and yet Sam is like just do it- you wouldn’t pass it up otherwise. I did not really get the exercise other than the fact that it made us even more aware of how many products we used are affected by slavery. I would have been interested in hearing more about this subject but instead my attention was shifted to Sam ranting and railing about the things he has seen so incoherently that I really was not thinking about slavery at all when I walked out. I think my point in all of this is that there are so many interesting things to talk about in this class and it would be possible to change my opinion- if in fact we talked through them. Instead I sit through seventy-five minutes of having a topic introduced to me and then I sit through my professor talking about all of his experience and not really giving me food for thought that would change my mind. Sam reiterates that coming to the race table is all about conversation. I find however that the format we are learning in does not really put much out there for conversation. I want to know more information so I can either support my current opinion or form a new one. Sam’s anecdotes are not the answer and that is one opinion of mine that is not going to change.
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iunlearn Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 3:44 am
I'm curious about what you're saying about it being the same lecture over and over. It would be cool if you came past my office because I'd really love to hear more of your thoughts on this. Seriously.
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I don’t know if Sam has necessarily changed my opinion on anything, but he sure has opened my eyes to the problems around the globe. I didn’t know anything about the Native American people and the discrimination they face. I also had no idea about the different forms of slavery around the world. The video today really amazed me as well. When the slave said that we were eating his flesh, I was somewhat at a loss for words. But to be completely honest, what I’ve learned has in no way changed how I act.
The cocoa video was crazy. I felt horrible for the slaves. The life that they were thrown into was just unimaginable. After the video was over, I didn’t eat the chocolate, but as soon as I got back to my apartment my friend gave me some of her Easter candy. I immediately ate a piece of chocolate. Did I feel bad? No. Maybe I’m a bad person, but I just don’t see how me stopping eating chocolate will make a difference. Sure, if everyone in America stopped eating chocolate, then changes would be made, but that’ll never happen. Also, I’m going to continue to buy the items I want. If it saves me money, and I want it; I’m going to buy it. I know I may seem like an inconsiderate American. Actually, this has made me that I am an inconsiderate American. I care about my friends and family. I want to be successful, and I want to make money. I think slavery is horrible, but I’m not going to go out of my way and take up a cause. Drastic changes need to be made, but I’m not the one that is going to make those changes. I’m a college kid, with typical problems and issues that I need to take care of.
I’ve enjoyed Soc. 119. Sam has opened my eyes, but that is about it. I’m not going to change, and my opinions are still the same as the first day I walked in the door. I am open to hearing what other people have to say, but once something is said that bothers me I start to tune that person out. When Sam started talking about God today, I just started to roll my eyes. It wasn’t like I tuned him out because he was saying something that I knew was true and didn’t want to hear. I just simply don’t agree with his beliefs, and there is no way he can change my opinion on that. He’s done a great job by showing his students the injustices in the world, but the majority of us aren’t going to change our ways.
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Wow! Just can’t believe he said that everything Sam had taught have brought no changes in his opinions. Like he said, I guess it is just him personally. It kills me to know that people are just stuck in their confront zone and refuses to look at life or things from different perspectives. This is the main reason why the world is so dysfunctional because people are so selfish and do not like to hear the truth. As they said “the truth hurts.” I believe in this saying because a person who always tells the truth is always the one consider “the full of shit guy” because people do not want to hear the truth. With that said everything that Sam discussed were all issues that are going on today, and I think everyone should take it into consideration. I was truly blind to most of the issues discussed in class so far such as modern day slavery, native Indian and today racism. The reason for this is society, especially the media, does not focus on these issues. Therefore, people are unaware of these issues. After sitting in this class for weeks, it did not change me as an individual but it has made a different in how I think and my opinion toward certain things.
For example, I knew modern day slavery existed but I did not know how bad and how worldwide they were. For examples, how young girls in China are being use as sex slaves and how Africans are persuade into slavery in Brazil and families being enslaves in India. I am glad I was able to learn more about these issues because society and the media do not talk about these issues. The most interesting class to me (although I liked most of the classes) was the one that we discussed about stereotype with the video of the black kids and the dolls. This video and discussion was very interesting and touching. It changes my view about how society plays a role in racism and stereotype. The only way that people will stop stereotyping is when society and the media (especially movie and television) start to aware people more about these issues and stop encouraging these issues. For example, if Whites weren’t view as the best, most beautiful, riches and heroes in the media, then black’s people (especially kids) will start to appreciate themselves more.
Today class changes my whole view about chocolate. This was an issue that was brand new to me and I am glad I was in class to see this video. It hurts to know that somebody’s pleasure is somebody else’s pain. We are paying for slavery and it’s so sad!
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I have enjoyed this class immensely and it has definitely had me thinking about new things. The class has enlightened me on subjects that I have not thought about before. I think within the class, there is a lot of insight and knowledge that can be either used or ignored and it’s really up to the individual. Some stuff I’m sure goes over people’s heads or does not connect with them. The class is definitely one of, if not the best, class I’ve taken at Penn State and I think integrating a race relation group discussion into the class is a great idea and a rare opportunity.
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I have always considered myself to be a very open-minded, friendly, and accepting person, so when I signed up for this class, I didn't take it to have my mind changed or have my opinions affected significantly. I just wanted to learn about various societal issues and have the opportunity to discuss them with people, and that's what I get out of the class every week. I've also learned that I still have a long way to go in terms of being truly comfortable with my race and the races of others. It also made me realize how complex race issues are. I used to think that because I was accepting and comfortable in my skin that it was easy for everyone else to be accepting and comfortable, but now I know how difficult it can be.
Soc 119 might actually be the only class of this entire academic year that I actually look forward to attending. I enjoy the course content, I enjoy watching the videos, I enjoy texting the screen before class starts, and I enjoy hearing what others have to say about what we learn. I especially like the small discussion groups because I feel like that's when we all really get a chance to say what we think. Dialogue is very important.
I also believe that a class like this is important to the average Penn Stater, i.e. upper middle class, white, Philly/Pittsburgh suburbanite, not much exposure to diversity, went to a predominantly (or entirely, like my girlfriend who is from near West Chester) white high school…you get the idea. I might be generalizing, but I know a lot of people who fit that mold. And I'm not trying to say that this class isn't important for me – my hometown is more diverse than this school, but I'm white, male, and fall into that middle income bracket just below upper middle class…so what we learn is beneficial to me as well. I just think there are some people here who need the exposure more. I think there are people who could afford to question what they believe and know, and this class helps with that too.
Sam and his examples might be a little dramatic at times, but we do need to be humbled from time to time. We do need to think about people other than ourselves. And we do need to think about how the decisions we make affect others around us. Being able to empathize with people is a crucial skill that I think this class helps to teach. If you can honestly say that you come to class every day and don't feel the slightest bit affected by what we watch, hear, and learn, then I feel deeply sorry for you.
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I think that the question of anyone changing their opinion is answered differently for everyone. There will always be people that are too stubborn or too narrow minded to take Sam’s points into consideration; there will also be those people who do not think for themselves and accept Sam’s ideas for their own without second thought. Personally, I would not say that Sam changed my views or feelings towards race, but he definitely made me open my eyes and realize certain things that I do. Before I took this class, I never realized the extent of “white supremacy”. I never realized that my white skin gave me so many benefits in life. This fact probably has a lot to do with the area I am from. I am from a predominately white area so the “advantage” of my skin never really stood out or was a factor in my life. On the other side of being raised in my area, I do not look at blacks differently or negatively just because I did not grow up around people of the race.
Besides white supremacy, another big topic that stands out to me from class is the slavery issue. I have heard of the children working to make Nike sneakers, but I admit to buying Nike sneakers, and even wearing them now. As I type I realize the hypocrisy and wrongness in supporting the company. There is nothing I can say to defend my actions; I know it is wrong but unfortunately I also know that I will probably buy another pair of these sneakers. Walmart is another company that I heard about using cheap laborers to make supplies. Besides what I heard about child labor, I never heard it be called slavery. It never crossed my mind that the children were actually slaves. This is a huge issue that is pushed aside and not discussed. It is something that more people should be aware of, but is silenced and avoided by people, therefore not educating people of the horrible issue. Awareness needs to be spread about this. People are too ignorant to believe that it is actually occurring, or they are too insensitive to even care.
Disposable People is probably one of the most educational and heartbreaking books I have ever read. It really opened my eyes to what is going on in the world today, and made me realize that slavery was not abolished hundreds of years ago, but it actually got unimaginably worse. I do not know what I can personally do about the situation, but I recommended the book to all of my friends and family to read. I brought it home over spring break for my family to read and see what is going on. Awareness about the issue is a step in the right direction and hopefully we can take it from there to improve the situation even more.
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iunlearn Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 3:46 am
I'd agree that blindly following a teacher is just as silly as ignoring some new teaching that might open us to new ways of thinking.
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This is a great question; and my friend and I had a conversation about this today right after class. It turns out both of us had been going back and forth over whether this class has changed people’s opinions. I’m not sure exactly sure what Sam said but in the first week of class he said something along the lines of. “I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind, but I am trying to look at situations in another perspective. In my opinion he has achieved this goal, I have definitely opened up my mind to other people that I didn’t know much about, and lifestyles that were opposite of what I thought. For example Native Americans, I had no idea at all that they live so poorly. I’m right next to a lot of other Americans that have been blindsided about what is really going on. Since native Americans aren’t in the news or being mentioned for winning something, to me I thought they were just working and living like the rest of us. To be completely honest the last time I heard about Native Americans was in my 12th grade history class. We were going over the camps that Native Americans were put into. Also how white settlers were trying to assimilate them in American culture. A process to phase out all their history, traditions, and beliefs that were taught to them. I really didn’t know they were in such poverty, and the suicidal rates they have! That is crazy and sad; these high rates mean that these people’s lives have really become nothing. It sounds harsh but it speaks for itself. Another situation I didn’t know about was the difficulty for gay and lesbian couples to adopt children. My thinking was that since this lifestyle had been started to be accepted that everyone and almost everything would see this and be open to it. Sike I was definitely way off with that thought. As I learned more about how the couples raised their kids, it became evident that they were just as capable as straight couples to raise children. It also doesn’t mean that the child will follow in there parents footsteps and be gay or lesbian. In my opinion these kids might have a better life experience, and will live life to the fullest. They will be the ones that truly know how to live life to the fullest. Also being able to accept everyone for who they are.
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I actually have talked about this a lot. I literally feel like there are some days where I leave this class just thinking.."what the heck." In the beginning of this semester I loved going to class, and listening to what Sam would TEACH. Toward the middle of the semester, I feel like Sam just got a little crazy and I really didn't learn much. I started coming to class solely to get a laugh out of what people would put on the screen with the texting questions. Sam is definitely an interesting professor and it has to be really difficult to keep 700+ students engaged, but I think he got off topic a lot. I think he needed to talk about the stuff that he puts on the test more, because I'm not gonna lie, when it came/comes time for studying for a test, I say to myself "uhhh, wait what have we learned…"
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iunlearn Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 3:50 am
Learning is extremely overrated. Thinking, however, is the only thing that matters. Are you thinking during class? Are you arguing with me or with some other voice during class? If you are, then rock on and good for you and to the entire classroom experience. If you're not, then either I should be fired or you should drop out of school and follow your bliss path. Frankly, either one would be fine in my estimation.
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I think that one of the most important things one can do to gain more knowledge is challenge their own opinions. We sometimes like to think that we are the only ones that are right. I have a friend who I cannot have a conversation with about religion or America and some of the naughty things we do because she will completely shut down and ignore every point I’m making because she has already predetermined that she is the one thinking correctly. People like this make me sad. Expanding our minds through discussion is one of the greatest ways to create deeper thoughts and stronger opinions on subjects that our controversial. If everybody thought the same way, we would know that that way was most likely right. Since we all think differently, I think it is vital to bounce ideas off of one another and create discussions that stimulate the mind in ways that it may have never been stimulated before. Shutting down once an opinion you disagree with comes along is very typical, but the point of this class, I think, is to work past this time and let the different ideas flow into your mind. They don’t have to be accepted or seen as the right way, but they are supposed to make us think about the opinions we have already formed. How can we believe that our ideas are right if they have never been challenged? I have this problem when I talk to members of my family about religion, because they shut down into a ‘God is right and that’s that’ type of mentality. If it is never permitted to be challenged… how can one be so sure?
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I guess its different for everyone, like we all take different effects from Sam's lectures. I know some people say that their lives have been changed by Sam's lecture. I personally feel that i got a lot from this class. When i first came to this class in January, i thought i knew what to expect from this class, i thought i would hear the same things over and over again. I came to Sam's class having the assumption that i would hear the same lesson- racism is wrong, blacks today are mistreated. But i was proven wrong, i learned many things such as the white guilt theory, slavery- not just in american history, but slavery exist today. The lesson that outer appearance or basing where we are from does not tell us what our heritage and race comes from. Basically I personally got a lot from Sam. I admit that some lectures i felt i did not get anything at all from it but in reality each time i came to Sam's Lecture, i feel that my eye open more. Today in lecture, Sam told us about Slavery and its effect on us. At first i came to class thinking it would be a class where i can fall asleep and rest after a long day of exams. But the topic and the video same showed us really struck me and made me fully awake. Sam , today, gave us all two pieces of chocolate that were wrapped in foil and told everyone to eat the first piece and not to eat the second one until after the video. Sam showed us a video of Africans making and working on gathering chocolate, the very chocolate that we eat today, the chocolate that we just ate. The truth about these Africans is that they are slave, who work on the fields everyday while receiving no money at all from their owners or managers. They left their homes and country in order to make money for their families and get out of the state of poverty. Ever since they left their families, they were place in fields where its location is unknown to them. The workers are overpowered by their owner. if they ask for money, they wont receive any. If they escape, they are severely beaten while in bondage. They show their scares and the image is very powerful and affected me. After watching the video, Sam tells everyone to eat the second, and i knew and thought how could i eat something that slave work so much to make and without seeing any benefits in for themselves. How could the world not realize this. I was also affected by the baby video where colored children choose the white doll over the black doll and say that the white doll is beautiful and say that the black doll is not- which represents themselves. The main point is Sam do change our way of thinking and makes us realize and be aware of what is really happening in our world today and we are blinded from not seeing it.
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I think taking this class this semester has been a great decision. Soc119 is my favorite class so far in my college career. In turns of whether it changed my opinion or stand on issues and beliefs, I think it did affect me on many levels but overall, I didn’t fundamentally change my views or beliefs. Sam talked about so many social issues that I just didn’t pay attention to too much before and now I increased my attention level for these issues such as modern-day slavery, gay rights, race dialogues, social injustice, etc. Sam did challenge me to open up more racial dialogues because I naturally never talk about race, and I guess the class made me more open toward other races. I think many things did make a difference to me. One issue in particular is political correctness; I think being in the United States for the past 8 years has challenged my view on racism, but it has also made me into someone who is carefully with racial conversations so I don’t offend anyone. I have heard that some people after taking Sam’s class have become more racist and I think it is not entirely a bad thing; at least they admit it now. I think self realization is the first step to any kind of progress. For me, it hasn’t made a dramatic difference in turns of not being politically correct and just says what is on my mind, but still I am aware of the issue and I am making effort to improve that. The other thing that has made me think a lot is my faith, my religious belief. Sam is really good at being neutral that he doesn’t believe in any particular religion but he is also open to learn and talk about any religion, but for me as a Christian, sometimes I feel offended in a way that just because Sam talks about Christianity in a way that I am not used to hearing. However, it does challenge me to think about my belief and how I can relate it to the social issues we are facing right now. For example, if God is all good and all powerful, why are there modern-day slaves who are just in such a horrific situation? It’s not like they chose their lifestyle and fate; they fell into slavery and they were forced to work for the rest of their lives without fair pay or treatment. In the beginning of the semester, Sam did mention that his goal for us is just so we can start thinking, which I think is something I got out of the class. Thinking provokes me to bring more awareness to the issue and then in turn I will take action to help out the case. For example, the facts with modern slavery really shocked me that made me share the information with other people and I am now interested in reading more about modern-day slavery.
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My opinion of this guy has changed from what I thought of him in class, based on this question. But I’ve often wondered how much of Sam’s opinion really affects mine. I can honestly say that at the beginning of class I was so engaged and intrigued by what Sam was saying and his opinions that I didn’t listen or accept them objectively. As class has gone on I’ve found that I have disagreed with him more and more because I haven’t been taking everything he says at face value. But even though I may disagree with Sam I still appreciate the course and what it does for the student body. Without the opportunity to discuss race issues and have the opportunity to sit down at the race table no one would ever make any advancements in their own thinking. Even though I don’t agree with everything Sam says or take his words as complete truth I am grateful for the opportunity he gives us to think in a different way and reevaluate our previous notions. Without this class I would have never known the difference between Hispanics and Latinos or all the struggles Native Americans have gone through. There’s also the idea of inequality that has been discussed about and it has opened my eyes to the idea that minorities especially blacks are not the only racial group that suffer. When Sam showed us the story of the woman in the middle of nowhere it really opened my eyes to the idea that inequality is not specific to one group or race it can hit the most "elite" race or group. It allowed me to see that we cannot judge people or assume that people don't know our point of view, where we have been or what shoes we have walked in; essentially when it comes to inequality to make assumptions is to be ignorant. It was also evident that no one can say that they have it worse off than someone else or that someone should be able to survive and fight for themselves, you never know where someone is coming from or what circumstances that they couldn't control put them in their current situation. It is unfair to assume that everyone deserves to be in the situation they are currently in, or that they earned whatever was coming to them. In the case of the lady in the middle of nowhere it is in no way her fault her parents had nineteen kids, and that they struggled throughout their whole lives. Poverty is all that she has known since she was born and she decided for herself not to go on welfare which in my eyes is extraordinarily commendable. This story is a prime example of something that made me think, something that made me reevaluate my own opinions. It is not Sam’s opinion that changes my own, but rather the information and truths he brings to the table that make me think.
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This is a good question. I think it has to do with open-mindedness. If you have an open mind a well articulated thought out opinion should alter yours in some way–even if at first seeming inconsequential. Personally–yes he's altered my opinions–not completely changed them but because I've take some other courses on race I don't know HOW much I can say my opinions have been altered simply from this class–if anything I think they have been reaffirmed. Also, I think whenever someone speaks so passionately about a certain subject–and you actually take the time to listen–there is no way that your mind can be completely the same after the fact. But hey, thats just my personal opinion.
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On a daily basis, Sam’s lectures have changed the way I think about the world. The information that Sam presents us with is quite unbiased. Everything he shows us is based on facts and figures and shows the world the way it is. However, this is Sam’s genius; he isn’t trying to indoctrinate us or force us to form opinions. Sam gives everyone the tools to make decisions on their own, he is simply a catalyst that may cause us to actually think about something we did not previously believe to be an issue. Consider how often Sam says “I feel some kind of way about that.” This is the ultimate objective of the class; to get the students to feel SOMETHING.
I honestly can’t imagine someone saying that after nearly an entire semester they literally feel nothing from this class. Every day I come to class with an eager attitude to see what Sam is “right” about again. Personally, I feel like Sam has a pretty good grip on the way the world works, and he is able to see things for what they are.
One of the things that hit me harder than anything he has said this entire Spring was from his lecture today, April 8, 2010. Sam was talking about slavery on the ivory coast and how slave labor infiltrates our economy on all levels, whether we believe it or not. Sam seemed to get off on somewhat of a tangent but went on to mention how our society believes God, god, or g-d, or whatever, is going to judge us in comparison with those immediately around us. He continued and asked the class something to the effect of, “wouldn’t a god that created the world be considering EVERYONE, not just Americans, whites, blacks, Christians, Jews, or Africans?” Sam sarcastically pointed out that because it is socially “acceptable” in our country to purchase goods that are produced through the use of slave labor that somehow, God, the creator of all human beings is going to be cool with that.
If you don’t “feel some kind of way” about this then you are missing the big picture. You are misunderstanding that you don’t live in a fucking bubble in your own world. You live on a planet with billions of other people and something as simple as buying as t-shirt at WalMart can and does have ramifications that echo all over. It might not seem like it at first, but if you add slave-labor supporters one by one the number grows to be significantly large. At the end of the day, if it doesn’t somehow spark you to thinking about the fact that the majority of things you own are likely somehow related to poor labor practices, then no one can help you open your eyes.
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Now that I’ve hit my word requirement, I feel like I can finally say that you are so hilariously ignorant that I think comedy central should give you a pilot season. Its entertainment value would be the equivalent to something like the Jersey Shore both in its humor and lack of anything remotely intelligent or intellectual. Aren’t you the same kid that said it’s fair that you’re well off because of genetics?
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sterlingb13 Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
I appreciated that comment up until Jersey Shore but either way thanks. And yes that was me with that comment, I only wish more people would understand my sarcastic sense of humor.
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This is a great question. Honestly, many of the things that Sam has said I have already considered in my 19 years of living. If you have not thought about the stuff Sam says, well you must live in a hole. His opinions have not changed my thinking in any way, but that is not the point of the class. Sam has said that he does not want us to think like him, he just wants us to think. There are some lectures were I will nod in agreement with something Sam says, and there are other times where I will glance around the room to see the angry look on people’s faces. I do find it odd that with 20 plus years of teaching, Sam still has insane revelations once a week. Some of the things that he finds so profound, I really find uninteresting. But, to each his own. I am no sociologist so my interests are obviously in another category.
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There were two questions posed: Did anything Sam said make me change my stance on things, or did anything make a difference to me. Overall, the class has had an effect on how I view matters of race relations and of people in general. I would not say that they caused me to change my opinion because my opinion more or less was reassured by most of the things that he has said. I naturally exist in between on most issues. Not to say that I am undecided or that I do not have an opinion, I just believe that I have the ability to argue both sides because the strengths and weaknesses of both arguments are easily apparent to me. In other words, I try to understand where people are coming from, motivations, etc. that may affect decisions that they make. This is what I have come to realize to be the best way to look at things and this class and all of Sam’s ranting about various topics just helped me see that this is the best way to approach situations, especially those issues involving race relations. So, to answer the first question, I would have to say no. There was nothing that made me change my view on things. This could be the direct correlation to my African American identity and minority status. I was forced to see things the way that I do at a young age. I didn’t have the rose-colored glasses or even a silver spoon that the majority tends to enjoy. I have learned that I can never say that I know how it is to be white, or that I can identify with the issues that they may face because I was never white and I can never be white.
There were several things that made a difference to me and had me thinking and reevaluating things in my life. I’m not going to sit here and say that I will change how I live each day dramatically, but I know for sure that I’ll think about things more. For example, I love chocolate. Today in class he showed the video depicting slaves on the Ivory Coast forced to harvest cocoa. It was astonishing to me to learn that there is some slave labor during the production of the chocolate I have grown to love. One of the slaves were interviewed and asked what he would say to someone like me and he said that he would not say nice things and that he suffered for me to eat a piece of candy. He would tell me that I was eating his flesh. That is very disturbing. I know that it would be very difficult to give it up, but should I? Is it my fault for liking and supporting a snack that I like? So yeah, I’ll face internal dilemmas every time I eat chocolate, but I doubt that I would discontinue eating it. This may be morally wrong, but one person won’t stop the slave production, but this huge decision could alter my life. It may not be a big deal to others, but chocolate has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember. In essence, it may have not altered my behavior, but my overall opinion has been altered. Isn’t that what he set out to do? In my opinion, Sam has succeeded. I’ll think about the flesh of the slave every time I eat my Reese’s.
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First, the discussion groups more than the lectures have helped me to think differently about racial issues. I enjoy the lecture, but hearing about the personal experiences and opinions of those in my group has made more of an impact on me. It is Sam’s lectures however that stimulate the conversations. His class gives us a starting point to discuss race issues amongst ourselves. We may not leave Sam’s lecture with a new understanding or opinion, but a desire to learn more about the topics he brought up. It stimulates curiosity around race relations. He asks us our opinions, but in a class of that size he cannot take the time to discuss every topic in detail. Whereas in the discussion groups you can spend fifty minutes discussing one subject and hearing from everyone in the room. There are always some that agree and disagree with Sam. The groups meet every week which gives you the opportunity to bond with your group to a certain extent. Then when one of them finds something offensive you are more likely to consider it than blow it off. We discussed a ghetto party that was thrown by a frat and whether or not we found it offensive. My first inclination was to think that it was funny and not really a big deal. After hearing everyone’s opinions, especially those who identify in some way to the black race, I found it to be less innocent. The stereotype that they are portraying in the ghetto theme is furthering negative black stereotypes. It may be funny, but there is a prominent belief in many people still today that black men are dangerous and black women are loud and opinionated. This combined with the requirement of thug dress encourages this stereotype. I still believe that the people who hold those kinds of party are not meaning to cause trouble, but I realize now that it may not be taken in such a light attitude by those directly affected by it. When I hear of the struggles that many of the people in my discussion have gone through because of their race it makes me understand why they are proud of their race, culture, and / or ethnicity and why they feel that there needs to be something done to change the attitudes of many people in the world today. I may not change by beliefs completely because of what is said but it is slowly picking away at my predetermined opinions on race issues.
One negative I have found with the class, however, is that while the discussion groups make me want to understand more about what people of other races go through, sometimes the people in the class do not. I do not know if this is due to the fact that those who get the chance to speak are more outspoken and passionate or if because I cannot ask follow-up questions I misinterpret what they are trying to say. Whatever the reason sometimes I am offended by the comments made by people around me of other races or I find them very close-minded. For example, when there was a picture of twins where one looked white and the other looked black, I heard a couple of black girls making loud comments about how the white baby looked sick. Also, when we are able to text open ended questions, it is accepted when other races knock white people, but there is a big uproar when white people do the same. I understand that this is because we are the majority, but I still find it to be quite annoying.
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I do not really know if Sam has changed my opinion on subjects we have talked about. I came into his class pretty open minded and aware of issues that are going on in our society. I think one thing he did do for me was bring to light a lot of other perspectives I was no aware of. Talking about how and why people view white people (because I am white) the way they do was interesting to me because its is never something I would have actually asked a black or brown person. Another thing Sam has opened my mind to is the issue of Native Americans. It is not that I did not know that they were poor and struggling as a race, but I did not realize to what extent that poverty was. I think it is really important to bring up these subjects and talk about these issues, because the more aware our population is about these problems the more likely they we all are to help make a change. In a class as big as soc 119, there will be at least 5 people that will go out and help, support, or help bring to light the issues we talk about in class. Though it is a small step it is a step. As much as I complain about how boring his class is sometimes, and how I feel like he is being super redundant, I think for a lot of people in that class it is really important for them to hear what he is saying. I know i was really excited for him to have the lesbian gay bisexual transgender talk because my roommate who is in the class with me tends to be very narrow minded when it comes to the topic. I think it was important for her to hear good solid reasons behind LBGT, reasons that I just could not think of myself. I do not know if her opinion changed at all, but I do know it got her thinking about it. I can only imagine that there are a lot of other people like my roommate in the class and hopefully some of the issues that Sam talked about did make them change their opinions. I do not think Sam is trying to shove his ideologies down our throats, he truly is just putting all these issues on the table to make us think. Like I said before, the more aware people are the more likely they are to take action and actually do something to help solve the problems facing society today. After years of teaching this class Sam has probably inspired a lot of people to do just that.
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I’ve never changed my opinion on anything Sam has said this semester. In fact, I’ve disagreed with him plenty of times on the angles he puts on different race and cultural issues that we talk about in class. I think he makes things simpler than they really are. There are many different levels to a lot of these problems and I think Sam sometimes doesn’t consider a lot of these levels when telling us his opinion. His analogies he uses during class sometimes ramble and go on and on, and I think he’s not quite articulate enough to be able to get the point across clearer and simpler. I often find it hard just to follow what he’s saying and understand what side he’s on at the end of his analogies.
Having said that, though, this is Sam’s class and it’s his platform to speak. He has the right to broadcast his opinions and I think he’s certainly earned that with his years of education studying to become a sociologist, and with the many years since then seemingly traveling the world to see first-hand the many different social problems humans face. I would consider him an expert on the topics we discuss in class, and I think he’s certainly qualified to teach 700 kids about sociological issues.
But the majority of this class is stubborn 19-, 20- and 21-year-olds that think they have the world in their pocket and have a grasp on it all. I’m one of those kids. We all are. I would hope that Sam knows this, and the student in this video I hope will realize this too. We’re not likely to change our opinions on anything. That’s the nature of the beast when you teach young college students, who are anxiously trying to speed up the process of becoming an adult.
But what Sam does well, and I hope he knows this, is that he gets students to think. He gets students to think about the subject, and think about what their own opinion is. There’s no doubt that the minds of students turn more during SOC 119 than during 90 percent of the other classes at Penn State. He discusses, tells us his opinion, and expects us to consider all the facts before making our decision. Going into many of these lessons, plenty of students probably don’t even have a real, sound opinion either way on the material. But by promoting discussion and thinking, Sam assures that every student will form one by the end of class. And if that’s not the case, then that’s okay. With the execution of this blog, if kids don’t have an opinion on one of the topics by 5:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then they’ll certainly have an opinion by midnight on Friday.
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Well for one it’s probably because you are a tool bag but just the obvious answer. You crave attention and choose not to understand anything in class. I don’t even have to look at the other comments to know that people are chewing this kid up. You are what is wrong with America and also what make America powerful today don’t take that as a compliment. Yeah Sam does open up different views of people but that’s all he is trying to do is get 700 kids to think about things in different ways. Yeah same you got to me this semester it’s just I really have mostly the same views before coming into class. Btw Sonics jersey =LAME.
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sterlingb13 Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
First things first, the Shawn Kemp jersey is awesome. Secondly, I never stated what my opinion is, that being that no matter what how much we are told, there is a very slim chance we as individuals will ever do anything about it. And judging by a lot of people's replies, many people have questioned the same thing I asked but I was the first one to ask it out loud.
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The things Sam says don't necessarily change my mind, as much as open my mind to the things i have no idea about. You have opinions about most things without even knowing what they are, and then Sam will inform us about it. Our opinion may change or it may not, but were more informed and we have a more valid opinion, that we can defend in an arguement. I had always known that there were slaves around the world, and obviously i am against slavery, but i didn't feel as strong about it as i do now. He doesn't speak to us to change our opinions. He does it to get us thinking so we can get opinions that we have actually thought about. Most people are ignorant to the things that go around them. People just eat chocolate, but now that you realize its produced in part through slavery in the ivory coast, it should change the way you look at chocolate. If not then you just don't care and your mind was set before you heard the story.
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This is a question I ask myself every time he says something that he thinks is so important. I feel like Sam's intentions are not to change people's views but to inform them and educate them on what exactly our world is, was and will be like due to race. It amazing how much you realize you do not know until you take a class like Soc 119. If Sam was boring and not sincere about what he says, there would be no point in even having a class like this one. I don't think he tries to brainwash people in the sense that he wants all of us to think his way but he does want us to feel some kind of way about the video clips and statistics that he shows us. Being honest though, lately I feel like the class has become a little repetitive and boring at times. Im not exactly sure how someone could say that none of their opinions have changed from hearing Sam's lectures. Some lectures such as the one about Indians is something that not many people know about or even think about but when it is brought to the table and people are forced to hear about it then it should make you feel some kind of way. Yes it was not directly our fault but it still happened and any person with some sense of sympathy would feel guilty for what happened. My roommates and I all take this class together and every day after class we talk about what was said and come to conclusion that we all have different opinions about certain topics and the lecture didn't change our opinion it just opened our eyes to the way other people view the issue. This class has taught me that race is something that will never go away and will be a part of every person's life and all we can do is talk about it to help better the situations we are put in. I never knew before this class that it was offensive to say colored people. I always tried to be politically correct in what I say just so that people would not take what I say in the wrong way. Overall the purpose of this class is to educate people. It is not to brainwash people or change your opinions it is simply to be open minded and learn about how other races view the world and issues as well. One thing I will take with me for the rest of my life is just knowing how much racism stills exists in the world today and all the products I use or own that are made my slavery. The video we watched in class about the chocolate made me cringe to even think that I am eating someone's flesh. It's something I may have heard but never really knew much about or took the time to look into but when it was presented in front of me I could not help but to think a different way about a lot of the things I own.
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Before I scheduled this class I have had many friends tell me it was amazing. They said that the class was entertaining and the professor changed their minds on so many topics. I wouldn’t say that Sam doesn’t shape my opinions and beliefs. But I also wouldn’t say that he has changed them in any way. Nothing he has said has rocked my world and totally reformed my perspective on the way the world works and operates. At the beginning of the semester Sam portrays the class to have that ‘groundbreaking’ effect on everyone. He made it seem like he would show me the light on how the world works and I would leave school at the end of the semester looking at the world in a totally different manner. I do not think that is the case. Many of the things he says he tends to repeat and usually they are obvious. The only situation through the semester thus far that he has showed something I hadn’t seen or heard before was related to Native Americans. This might be a relative situation for most people because since there is such a small population of Native Americans, most people do not interact with them at all, ever. Sam should be given a ton of credit for what he does, though. Many professors would never say any of the things he says, or even risk teaching a class on such a taboo topic. I don’t think Sam’s objective is to totally change our minds on these matters, as much as he says he’s trying. Whenever he shows a statistic or a video it makes me think. It makes me think about my life and how I relate to what he’s showing, it makes me think about how I have lived the first nineteen years of my life, and how my family has lived. This is the greater goal of the class and I would have to say that Sam achieves it. I enjoy reflecting on the lectures in the discussion groups and I relish the opportunity to listen to what my classmates have to say because their experiences throughout their lives are drastically different from mine. Overall, I would say that the class makes me think deeply about how I’ve operated through my life and how I plan to act in the future. The class can get a little redundant and I think the entirety of the lecture hall voices their opinion when Sam repeats himself. In the end I would recommend the class for anyone to take. It is generally entertaining and it makes you think deeply about a variety of topics. Combining these factors leads to a very enjoyable class and I think Sam does a good job of stimulating your mind.
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I don't really agree with this kid because I believe there are many things in class that we've learned that have changed my view on things. Especially reading Disposable People opened up my eyes to how cruel slave holders are that these innocent people are suffering because of it. There's no way that learning about this can't have an effect on a person. People have an ideal image on what slavery is but there's no way that knowing a majority of the things we use/ eat in our every day life made by slaves can't change someone's view on slavery. It's rather sad that people are abused and being taken advantage of as slaves. Even the video we watched yesterday in class affected me even more because it's really a terrible thing. It's so messed up that we own so many things made by slaves. I think that people who try to run a business should man up and do it for themselves instead of being lazy and beating people to do work for them. Another thing that I've already had a sense of but understand a little bit better about is LGBT issues. A lot of people have this image about gay people that it is wrong. They don't see that these are human beings just like everyone else who have feelings for each other. It's not like they're doing it on purpose to piss people off, they're living their life like every one else its. Sam's stories we're helpful on making people understand that they are no different than two people in love. But I still don't understand how a person can think Sam isn't an influence on anything. Another thing that was interesting and an eye opener are the racial identity stages. These are very helpful with identifying on where you are in acknowledging racial issues. I just don't know how this person thinks that nothing has made sense to him. Everything talked about in this class are real issues in the world today and I don't understand how someone thinks they're getting nothing out of it. I also don't know why some people hate on Sam so much. He's a clever Sociologist who knows what he's talking about and I think just because he's a pretty laid back cool guy people take advantage of that. Or they just don't agree with him. But everyone is privileged to their own opinion although he's an experienced professor and he's even traveled to see these issues in the world for himself. I think it's pretty cool that he gets the opportunity to gain knowledge on these issues for himself that he shares with us to help us understand. I just think that some people don't take him seriously sometimes but I've definitely learned from him. Definitely opened up my eyes to things that I didn't understand fully. Maybe the person who raised this blog question doesn't want to believe the things that are really going on but I think it's very interesting to actually learn into depth about what's going on in the society all over the world. Sometimes people tend to take advantage of things that they know or may not know the real story behind it.
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I feel like this is a great question to ask and is really important. First off I give the student in the post a lot of credit for admitting that even though many of the things Sam teaches in class can alter ones opinion it has not changed his. It is not easy to admit that he hasn’t learned anything that has made him change his mind. However, with that being said I do not know if Sam has changed my opinion on anything but he has defiantly gave me a new way to look at things and definitely come into situations with an open mind. Sam mentioned in the beginning of class was he didn’t care what our opinion was on a topic necessarily, he just wanted to make sure we had an opinion and spoke what we were feeling. I also agree at times I feel like I am lost and almost zoned out in some of the recent classes. However, the first half of the year defiantly made me change the way I look at many things and just made me take a step back before I encounter certain situations. However, I can see how some people might not come away with the same experience that I have because Sam approaches many situations in bizarre and crazy ways. For example, when Sam gave the lecture on bleeding I clearly understood that he was trying to get to the point that women are at a clear disadvantage because of their menstrual situation and they have no control over it and still have to deal with it daily. I thought this was a very effective way of making people take a step back and actually think about the clear disadvantage that women face on a daily basis and cannot do anything about it. However, I know that “bleeding” is a very touchy subject and you could tell when Sam started talking about it many people were outraged and some even left the room. It is at points like these were I feel like people aren’t focused on what Sam is actually trying to get across and do not come away with the full effect. I hope that in the future students can put Sam’s bizarre and eccentric teaching methods to the side and actually listen to the points he is trying to get across and maybe he might change your opinion or make you think out of the box. Even though some classes are not as interesting as others I feel like every class you can take something different from. I feel like I have matured light years since I enrolled in this class and it has shown me things that I could have never imagined.
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I would not necessarily say that Sam has made me change my opinions in life, but I would say he has opened my eyes a little more and made me look at things differently. I still think the same way, I just find myself questioning it a lot more, and questioning the opinions of others. Ultimately I think Sam has supplied with a lot of weapons if we ever do get into some sort of racial debate with anyone, but I do not think that was his plan. I believe he is just sharing his information to whoever wants to listen (or is forced to, lol) and this semester we are that audience. It is a fun class and I feel as though I have retained more information in this class than a lot of any of my other class, so to me going to class has been worth it, regardless as to whether or not my opinions were changed.
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I think a lot of people probably took what same has said this semester and had it help shape their opinions. I don’t think sam tries to mold us to think a certain thought I think he just tries to help us realize that there are other opinions out there. He tries to open our minds and get us thinking about important issues on a whole new level. I don’t think any of my opinions have completely changed in class but he has definetly helped me open my mind up more and explore new opinions. I have always been a very open person so I enjoy hearing a lot of things that he says in class. I guess Im also not super strong in any particular opinions so im not set it my ways.
I think part of your problem is that maybe you’re a little too stubborn and naïve. It takes a very stubborn person to not take in the opinions of other people and stand so strongly on their own opinions. I don’t appreciate people that are so strongly set in their ways that before even really listening to the opinions of others they already are set in the fact that their opinion will not be changed. It’s people like that that make racism so prevalent in our society. Its 2010 and there are still people who act like it’s 1950, so set in their opinions its sick.
I understand feeling so strongly about something that it’s hard to change you’re opinion, but I think people should always be open to hearing the opinions of others. We need to be more of an accepting society not against listening to others and accepting that people will have different opinions.
Actually this is funny that this comes up now because I had a bit of an argument with a man last night that would not change his opinion about anything. He was so set in his ways that any time I would make any argument he would just laugh and ignore any possible sense that I was actually making. It is one of the most frustrating things when people are like that. Then, on top of being so set in his ways, he was just a complete racist asshole who used more racist terms and sexist jokes that it was disgusting. Instead of accepting any of the things I was saying, he mainly replied with “I’m not going to change my mind, this conversations going nowhere but you can’t walk away because you want to fuck me.” I have never been more disgusted than I was by this racist virgin. He claimed he still held his virginity tight because of his religion….i call bullshit. The truth is no one will sleep with a racist asshole who won’t accept the opinions of others and just already have this pre disposition about how white christians are the superior race…okay virgin Hitler.
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Opinions can only change when people are open to challenging their opinion. I love to hear arguments against things that I believe because it really makes me question my beliefs. If I agree with the argument my opinion on that topic begins to sway away from my original thought. Often other times peoples’ arguments will just enhance and strengthen my current beliefs or opinions. Hearing other peoples’ opinions helps you gain new angles and views on the same topic. The second question was has anything made a difference to me and the answer is undoubtedly yes. Unless you are extremely afraid to open your mind and challenge your beliefs I don’t see how this class couldn’t have made a difference to you. The topics that we talk about are things that I now see every day. Just in the last class alone, the one about modern slavery, has made an impact in my day to day life. Whenever I see someone eating a Snickers bar I wonder if they really know how much blood, sweat, and tears really went into that 99-cent nougat and nut filled chocolate bar. My collection of white t-shirts that I bought at Wal Mart for pennies on the dollar was probably created by a myriad of slaves. Last night at dinner shrimp was being served and I recalled shrimp being on the list of “jobs” that modern day slaves are forced to do. I looked around at all the people eating shrimp and wondered how many of them really thought about who actually sacrificed to supply them with that meal. SOC 119 isn’t really as much of a class to me as it is a chunk of time where I can sit down and wrestle with my thoughts. It is a chance for my eyes to really open to the horror and to the beauty of our modern world. The class has made a world of difference to me. You finished your dialogue with “I wanna know if people actually change their opinion off what Sam says “ and my answer to that is no. Sam cannot change anything I believe or think. However he is a guide to helping me look at things I previously thought I knew and challenging my thoughts. He says time and time again that he doesn’t care what you think, he just cares that you think. He just wants to get the mental wheels turning in everyone. It could very easily be just me who has benefited from the class and everyone else just wants to get through the lectures to receive their A and go about other ambitions. I however will be the first to say that some of my opinions have changed, others have not, but all in all this class has “honestly” made a difference.
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This is an interesting question, and I actually had to think about if my opinions have changed since entering this class. I remember coming into the class, and not really expecting to have any kind of new opinions, and too a degree I think that most of my views are similar. However, I do have to say that this class has been fulfilling because it has made me think more than a lot of my other classes. I have also learned a lot of interesting facts, and heard a lot of other peoples’ opinions. So, while maybe my views and opinions are similar, I think that Sam’s lectures and the class, in general, was definitely worth while.
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For Sam’s sake and all of the other kids who are thoroughly enjoying this class and learning a lot about the world, as well as themselves, I hope that he is one of only a few people who feel this way. Maybe this person has strong views on certain topics such as gay and lesbian relationships and marriage and his views haven’t been changed in that aspect, but I hope that although he feels like his opinions haven’t changed I hope he has been able to learn something while sitting through this class. I actually would find it quite arrogant and completely false for someone to have gone through this class and feel that they haven’t learned anything. Sam has experienced much more than any of us can hope to experience in our lifetime and there is so much knowledge to take from that.
I’ve always thought of myself as being an open person, so none of my views have necessarily been changed because I don’t think that what I thought before about certain issues was different from what Sam has taught us. In regards to the issues that I have thought about in the past and the way I have felt about them, most of them have been confirmed by Sam’s teachings. I always knew that there was inequality between the “white team” and the “black and brown team”, but learning about different statistics and scenarios has given me more information and has helped me to confirm what I know and to really know that something need to be done. To me, what has been truly amazing about this class isn’t that Sam has changed my views about things, but that he has actually helped me to create views about subjects I was unaware about before. To be honest, there were many issues that I knew little or nothing about before stepping into this class. I had no idea that slavery today was such an issue. I had heard minor things about it from friends who had taken this class previously, but knew nothing about it at all, therefore I had no opinion. After learning about what Sam has had to say about modern day slavery, as well as other things, I have been able to form an opinion and take a stance on different issues.
Unless this student knew all there was to know about all these things that Sam has talked about, all the statistics, the personal accounts, and all the other information that has been given to us, I find it hard to believe that this person hasn’t had his views changed or was able to create any. I don’t even think this class is necessarily about changing one’s opinion; we just have to feel some sort of way about something.
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This is a great question that really made me think. I feel like Sam Richards has changed my opinion on a lot of things regarding race relations. A lot of stuff I already knew about, but he shed some light on a lot of other things I was not familiar with. He made me realize that you should have an open mind in terms of meeting new people from cultures different from yours because you could learn a lot from them about life. He also made me take into question some of the beliefs I had already had in my life. Overall, this class has just made me realize you can feel differently about different topics, there is nothing wrong with that!
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I am not sure if this class has actually changed my opinion about anything, but it has helped me to think about certain issues. I still have many of the same opinions that I had before, but some of Sam's points have just made me reevaluate the reasons that I do believe something. I think the most eye opening lecture for me, was yesterday's lecture and video. I knew there was modern day slavery, but to me that video made much more of an impact on me than the book because I could actually visualize it. I think that Sam's lectures just make me think more rather than change my opinion because he doesn't sugar coat things; he tells it like it is.
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I have always wondered this myself. And to be honest I don’t know. I mean there are certain things that Sam says that I do agree with and that make me think but then there are just some things that make me think he’s just talking out of his ass. However, I think it is very interesting to listen to how he thinks. I see Sam as this very eccentric guy who has been a lot of places and seen a lot of things in his lifetime. I guess this causes him to feel very strongly about his views and he wants people to see what he sees. I get that. I like listening to him talk and hearing his stories. I think he has a good view on race and I guess what he says makes sense sometimes. But being in his class has definitely make me think about race more then I normally would. There are certain things that he talks about in class or that he shows in class that really make me think and actually have an effect on me. For example, the “Girl Like Me” video. When he said that it was going to be very powerful I didn’t expect to actually almost be in tears. Well not even almost I had tears in my eyes. I grew up around a lot of different races so I never really thought of racial inequality too much. But after seeing that video it really made me think. It really made me sad for those little kids who don’t want to be black because they don’t think that they are beautiful. They think that being white is being beautiful and to me that is really really sad. That they can’t feel happy or comfortable in their own skin. It made me think about how I wish that the world wasn’t like this and how bad racism really still is.
I also really enjoyed my race relations group. It was really good to be able to sit down with a group of people who I didn’t know and just talk about race and stereotypes and anything that we wanted without having to censor ourselves or be scared of offending anyone. I feel that if everybody had to do this at some point then maybe people would not think so badly about other races and feel the way that they feel. I learned a lot from it because it let me see into other peoples lives and the way that they feel about race and experiences that they had. It was also cool to hear about where they came from and how they got the views that they have today.
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It seems to me everyone has the same thoughts about the message that Sam is trying to put out there. I don’t think some people appreciate what he is trying to do with this whole race relation’s class. What I get from it is that he wants to open up the minds of students. Weather you come from a large city where race and diversity is at every corner, or a small town in the middle of central Pennsylvania I don’t think anyone is completely aware of the discrimination or racial issues that are still happening in the world today. I actually learned a lot with the readings we have to complete for the exams, for example I had no idea how very much alive slavery and poverty is in todays society. Even the last class he said something like even the poorest people in our country are richer then one third of the world, I don’t think we realize how much we take things for granted. I definitely agree that after spring break things have become a little repetitive but its slightly different in my discussion group. I learned a tremendous amount of how other people view issues and how I may actually relate to some of their thoughts. Its funny because we actually brought up this same question in my last discussion. Someone didn’t really understand why Sam kept talking about the bad things that happened in the past and why he dwells on it.Even though he is trying to make us aware of our terrible history, he always states that many of these issues such as discrimination continue to occur bc of those people still talking about slavery in America. I can relate this back to that white guilt feeling he asks if we still have because of what the settlers did to the native Americans. I can answer honestly to this by saying that I do not have any guilt of what happened over 100 years ago. Many people dwell on the issues meanwhile I think instead of saying to yourself “Im a poor, Native American women” you should try and get passed what society labels you as and do something to change your life! Even though some people may feel like Sam is a poser and “full of shit” if you sit back and actually listen to some of the points he makes in class the guy really does have a lot of knowledge and experiences he wants to share with us. Overall the class is very beneficial and I think I did change the way I think about things especially between the white team and black/brown team. There is actually a world outside of our little happy valley, I think that Sam is just trying to get us to open up our minds and remove us from the ignorance we have developed over the years.
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Soc 119 has been a great class and I think Sam is a very intelligent and good person. This question is just rude and ignorant. Then drop the class. The class has made me think. Thats all he wants to do. He doesn't want to change our opinions completely so we follow him like some sort of cult. He's made this completely clear and maybe if people listened. I'm sure he loves how pissed people get at the things he says, because we are at least thinking about it in some way, where as before we probably weren't. At least now we can have some sort of educated opinion, instead of just talk out of our asses about things we don't understand. I just think this question is arrogant. What makes your opinion on this class correct? Honestly.. who cares what you think about the class?
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A lot of the things that Sam said in class dont really hit me that hard. I know alot of the facts from where i grew up. The school he showed in the video that was "poor" looked exactly like the high school i attended in Brooklyn. I spanish and white so i know about both worlds and cultures, and ive been around people of color my whole life. However, when Sam speaks on the studies that have been done, I am deeply moved. The study with the baby dolls is amazing. The chocolate lecture hit hard knowing all of the things that slave labor helps to produce. He definatley made me think, im not sure if my mind is changed so much. But i have 100% benefited and learned from this class.
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The things that Sam has said in class, I felt like I already knew or were just plain common sense in my mind. However, a good example of Sam opening up my eyes to see things that are happening in the world today and not in “my” world was last class with the cocoa slavery. I mean we learned and read about how there was modern day slavery, but after seeing that video, it really opened up my eyes to see that this is ACTUALLY happening today. I feel like I am learning about race issues not only in the United States, but in other countries and cultures.
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What Sam says in class does make a difference to me and I am learning many things from it. If I wasn’t learning anything or if anything Sam said didn’t make a difference to me then I doubt I would attend all the lectures I do. To me even if I don’t end up with an A in this class I will at least be able to walk out with more knowledge then I have probably consumed in any class prior to this one. To me this class is the type of class that is trying to open your eyes to the world around you, and it is basically just telling you the world isn’t as perfect as we think it is, I understand not all people are like me and this class may not make no difference to them at all, but that all comes down to your own personal beliefs. To me this class has taught me a lot, just from the previous lecture when Sam brought up the question to all the people who believe in religion, and basically asked us when we die what are we going to say about buying goods that slaves made, like Sam always says he doesn’t necessarily want us to change, but he wants us to think. And in every lecture I been in after I came out I still thought about the lecture and what really is happening in the world, and in our own country. To me this class has opened my eyes no doubt and for whom ever this class doesn’t make a difference to at all, well I guess you’re missing out.
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