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
I was completely surprised when I first heard this question and initially mad. But after I thought about it I think it’s a great question and takes a lot of nerve to ask. During class at times I do get a little bored of what Sam is talking about, but it’s really hard for me to understand how some people can just talk the entire class and not pay attention to anything he is saying. First of all it is disrespectful and second of all if you don’t like what he’s talking about or think his class is stupid then just leave. Sam is so passionate about what he teachers and it completely baffles me to think that someone couldn’t be affected by what he says. Sure some of the things Sam says are off the wall and completely out there but he does a great job and what he said he was going to do at the beginning of the semester, make us think. I have never taken a class anything like this before and think that it is the most meaningful one I have taken so far at Penn State. Sam challenges my beliefs all the time during class and sometimes pisses me off, especially about the religion stuff. But he makes me think. Think about my values and why I believe the things I believe.
I don’t understand how ignorant someone can be to not take anything Sam says into consideration. To not be affected by anything he says about all his experiences is childish. I’m not saying you have to agree with him or change your beliefs, but to just think about what he’s saying. Sam knows a lot about this stuff and has first hand experience with a lot of it. He’s seen parts of the world that we are never going to see or be able to envision in our minds. To complete ignore what he is saying and not be affected by it is unbelievable to me.
I know Sam isn’t trying to force his beliefs on us and if you think that then you do not understand his lectures the right way. It’s helpful how open he is about his stance on the issues. By doing this he can show his passion towards the subject and really try to connect with us. I think that the people who don’t like his class or don’t benefit from his class either don’t care anything about race relations and shouldn’t have singed up for the class or are still completely oblivious to the world around them. Sam’s not trying to change our opinions and if you listened for one second in class then you would know that because he explicitly said it. He’s trying to make us think and if you aren’t willing to think about what he says then you probably know he’s already right and you don’t want to be wrong.
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First off I want to say wow. Like you honestly can say your opinions about everything he has talked to us about haven’t even slightly been affected by what he tells us. I think you are wrong. I think you would have to have no soul in order to not be affected by the images, facts, and books he has opened up to us. Almost every subject we have discussed in class has made me rethink how I feel about it. He showed me that it isn’t necessarily anyone’s fault for being poor or on welfare. It has to do with the fact that some people are born on top and once you are n the bottom it is harder to work your way up. I didn’t know slavery existed in the world today until I read the book Disposable People. Every time I buy something from Wal-Mart or anything cheap for that matter I always think about what the people went through to make it this inexpensive. I will admit I haven’t stopped buying inexpensive things, or things that were processed due to slavery, but I have decreased the amounts of stuff I buy. It is very hard in our society not to buy slavery made products but I really wish it was easier because I hate the fact that I support slavery, and Sam showed that to me. When he showed us the video just yesterday I was almost in tears thinking about how awful their lives are. When they showed the scars from whips I didn’t know what to feel. I felt like I needed to go hunt down and kill the slave owners. You are honestly going to sit there and say you had no remorse what so ever about what they went through. I would love to see if you could handle what they went through. Actually I don’t want to see anyone go through that but you need to imagine being in their shoes. Imagine just being taken away from your family and put into hard work and not get a dime for it. I think you are either not listening to Sam’s lectures or you don’t understand the lectures. I use to think affirmative action was so unfair and unjust, but then Sam showed us that it actually helps white females more than any other demographic. I actually had a huge discussion with my family over Easter about it and I had a complete different pint of view than usual. He showed us the statistics of employment for whites and minorities. He showed me that an employer would rather hire a white male with something on his record than a black male. Did you already know that fact? If you didn’t know that, then it should have changed your opinion of why so many black and brown people don’t have jobs. I learn something every day in that class. Sam’s job isn’t to change your opinions, it is to make you feel something and make you see the whole picture. I think you are just against changing your point of view. More power to you but I guess I am just more open-minded.
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Honestly this class has not necessary changed the way I think about everything, some things yes, but not everything. But most importantly this class has taught me to do one important thing… THINK. I honestly think about things a lot more, and that includes anything, not just race relations. Now some of my opinions have been changed but not about everything. For one thing, even though it feels like Sam expresses that we should feel guilty about some things involving race, these old things that I used to feel guilty about I really do not anymore. Maybe it is because I now have a better understanding of what they are or what the other side feels about it.
For example, topics on slavery. Do I feel guilty about african americans being enslaved in the early united states' history. Honestly, I do not feel guilty. I used to. I used to really feel bad about it. I used to feel like black americans were supposed to pissed off at white people. Like how could us white people do such a thing to black Americans. But after this class, I really do not feel guilty at all. Do I still feel bad? ABSOLUTELY. I feel terrible about it. It was a disgusting and irreprehensible period for America. But it is not like I would do anything like that. Hell no. I care way too much about other people, even people I do not know. I could never stomach such an act. Plus it just was not right. There isn't a person sitting in class that would honestly say they could be a part of slavery, or be a part of "wiping out all white people" or any true hatred like that. I know I could never do this, I do not think anyone else could either. Or societal way of thinking is far too advanced for these kind of acts to continue.
Okay so I do feel some way about it. But after THINKING about things because of this class, my feelings are not of guilt and responsibility, but of sadness. I can honestly say, I do see color when it comes to dealing with people. I do not look at someone and say, you did this because you are white or you did this because you are black, or you would say that because you are asian, or whatever. I do not do that. And this class has just solidified my confidence in doing so. You are not poor because you are black, hell like sam said, most AFRICAN americans are really rich. Sam's class may not have changed my thinking, his words may be really repititive and common sense. I may already know what he is going to say or have already heard it 10 times in my life. But, this class has solidified my thinking, and that is what I appreciate. It has taught me that it is okay to question, it is okay to feel certain things, because the truth is, a lot of people are the same. And, the bottom line is this… we are all human, that is what counts the most.
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Personally, a lot of the things Sam has said has not changed my outlook on life, or my opinion on the different issues HE has discussed. I for one am very opinionated and i can not be swayed easily, especially when the person comes off a little bit irrational, or rash, and very biased, leaving him to be unable to see different spectrums. I feel as if Sam's lecture are soley opinion based and lack a lot of factual and sound founding. The class overall is entertaining at times, but that's really it. From the beginning of the class compared to now, my perception of Sam has altered. At first, he seemed like a normal guy who just wanted to educate his students on how society views and deals with the different aspects and issues of race, but as the the class has progressed, Sam's lectures have turned into rants and raves on how HE feels different races view eachother and how they deal with race issues and why they are still stuck in their ways. I think another reason why Sam's points can come off a litle wayward is because of his terminology. he uses words and phrases like, "the white team" and 'black and brown people". Like what?? What does that mean? I think those words he use only force people into different groups that have stifled us as a society that is bent on racial inequality and race related issues. Sam claims that he is comfortable with race and other ethnicities, but it seems that he is a little to comfortable with other races. He says things that can be deemed insensitive to African Americans. For example, when HE talked about the LL.Bean ad, and he said that the black people in the ad were "acting white" . "Acting white"? what was he trying to say? I mean are black not allowed to be seen or partaking in any events near the lake? are they not allowed to wear Dockers? Are they being fake? Are they not living up to their stereotype? I mean really. I wanted Sam to explain that more, but he didn't . He never really delved more into that subject, he just shyly laughed, the kind of laugh that wanted to invite his 'black and brown" people onto his side. He wanted them to "get where he was coming from", and laugh at the stereotype that has plagued "black and brown" people for years. I just found it questionable and awkward. Sam also left me puzzled when he discussed "our God" I felt disrespected when he kept referring God to "Your" God. I mean really? He made God out to be this manifested being who only exists. To answer your question, Sam's OPINIONS have made no difference to me, they have only made me think about his true motives and character.
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I think Sam’s method of teaching is very affective and sometimes people choose not to listen because some of his points are hard to accept. Personally I think that to a certain extent Sam has changed my mind about a few things. As many of my other classmates said, Sam told us that he is not trying to change our opinion, but make us think and question the things around us. Most of the time things that Sam says do not totally change my opinion, they just make me think about things that I normally would not consider. A lot of the time I find myself thinking how true a comment of Sam’s is and how surprised I am that I had not realized it before. He causes people to recognize things that they have been blind to because of their social surroundings. Before this class I had never really thought about what it meant to be white. After hearing Sam talk about it I realized all of the perks that come along with being born white in the United States. I reflected about who I am personally and how I would not be anywhere close to where I am now without my ancestors. I guess you could say that I changed my mind about my beliefs on how much I actually deserve all that I have accomplished. Also the widely ignored persecution of the Native Americans really hit home for me. For pretty much my whole life I had neglected to realize the extent to which Native American culture was destroyed by our ancestors. Sam showed me how naive I had been by pointing out the many wrongs that were committed. One of the last points that Sam partially changed my mind about pertained to modern slavery. Sam’s latest lecture, along with Disposable People, had somewhat of an affect on me. I now know much more about modern slavery than I did before and the little things that I can do personally to help. I know that any of the little things I do will not make much of a difference but at least I am now aware of it and I can continue my life helping whenever an opportunity comes along. Having said all of this, these realizations and small changes will probably not affect my life that much at all but at least I am informed now. I think that Sam’s teaching style keeps me interested in what he has to say because he seems passionate and has a lot of experience in the field. Most of my other classes are painful to sit through but Sam has a way of keeping my attention and getting me to care about the issues that he is talking about.
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I was questioning my education at PennState a few weeks ago. I was wondering what I am actually doing here and what I was learning. Soc 119 wondered into my mind and I started to analyze what I had learned and where I stood on many of the issues we discussed. First, I would like to say that I only agree with Sam about half the time, yet I am very interested in many of the issues we discuss in class. One of the things Sam brought to my attention is modern day slavery. I had no idea so many slaves existed in the world today. These issues are so important to bring up in class, as many people are not aware of the problem, which means there are few searching for a solution. I was glad he assigned us Disposable People to read, because I had the opportunity to realize that slavery today may be worse than it was 150 years ago. I think about everything I have learned when I am about to buy something really cheap in Walmart. I believe that is the goal of Sam’s class, to get us to think about how what we do affects the rest of the world.
Another issue Sam discussed was “bleeding.” I always believed that we should not really talk about it, but after thinking about the issue I disagree. A menstrual cycle is not something to be ashamed of. It is a natural process that happens to all women. Why should we find the issue so unacceptable? We certainly did not ask for it, but at least we can have children because of it. Because of Sam’s class, I am much more aware of a woman’s role in society. Although we have come so far, we still have problems and power struggles within gender roles. Because I am constantly thinking about these issues, I notice them more in society where as before I never would have given it a second thought.
I do not understand how someone could have learned nothing in this class. I have heard so many opinions that are different from mine, especially in the small discussion groups. Everyone has such different values and different agendas. It affects what we do at PennState, whether we study often, what clubs we join, and if we volunteer in our free time. Our class is made up of many different cultures, races, religions, and opinions. I think this helps the class understand issues better, because the people we are discussing are our friends sitting right next to us. I understand if you do not agree with everything Sam says. I have disagreed and left class annoyed, angry, and confused before. However, I do not think it is possible to say you learned nothing.
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Personally, I don’t think many of my opinions have changed as a result of the things that Sam talks about in class. However, a lot of the topics we discuss make me think about people more than I have before. So, no, the class has not made me change my opinions. But the class has made a difference to me. It has made me look deeper inside of myself in an attempt to find the answers to questions brought up in class that bother me. For example, I have really thought a lot about the baby doll experiment, because the results if it bothered me.
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I’m happy that this question has finally been brought up for a topic of discussion. Everything Sam says for the most part I feel like is very relevant but I feel like I’m already an open minded person, and most of the situations he brings up im already aware of it. But it’s not about its changing your opinion or making a difference. I think it is more about listening and just seeing where he is coming from you don’t have to believe everything he is saying or change the person you are for you to take in what he is saying. At my last race relations session I mentioned how I felt like I was already a person who had similar vies Sam had, but that’s just me I’m sure there are plenty of people who are not aware of certain things or who are scared to talk about race issues and so on. In response to a few responses above I don’t feel like he is full of shit I just feel like he tries to go straight to the point and tries to be a real eye opener. There are a lot of things that Sam says and like moxie2090 it just affirms what I already believed before. Sam’s intentions are just too open up our eyes up so we can notice things and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. We often by pass certain things and maybe sometimes we need to take the time to pay attention and see what is going around in our society. Certain things might not affect us directly but affect us indirectly. When Sam says’s things about the white guilt that’s where I don’t totally agree with him. I don’t think that when white people are having race conversations with people of color they hesitate to say things because they feel guilty it’s probably because they don’t know what to say because they most likely don’t experience certain things. So it’s not that there guilty in my opinion just speechless when it comes to certain race topics. But like Sam said in the beginning of the semester he’s not trying to change anybody’s opinion/beliefs or attitudes he’s just trying to have people be more aware and to think a little bit more about the things we probably don’t notice or think about. I think the class is a good eye opener for those who are not aware of certain things, are afraid to express themselves and those who are simply just blind and ignorant about certain race issues, and social issues that people besides themselves might go through. Even though I consider myself as one of those people that Sam is not referring to the class is very interesting and he does make a lot of good points.
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I do not really think my opinion has changed all that much as a result of this class. A lot of the things we have talked about this semester I already knew a little bit about, and had discussed in other classes. Especially in terms of racial inequalities in the United States, I have learned and discussed this topic in a lot of my other classes. I was already well aware of these inequalities and their basis. I already knew that a lot of times these inequalities are just formed simply on the basis of racism, and that the only thing that can be done is allowing people to understand where this inequalities come from and raising awareness of their existence. For example, I knew about the differences in income and wealth that pertains between the races, and that some races have a much more difficult time getting ahead, simply on the base of their race.
This class has allowed me to expand my ideas, figure out and formulate my views, and learn more about these topics. As much as I may have known before, I really think this class has stretched my ideas and my knowledge. More than anything I think this class has allowed my views to become more concrete, and I feel that if I were to debate my side of an issue, I would be able to do so confidently. This class has not changed my opinion because my mind was pretty much already made up on a lot of these issues.
What has made a difference to me though, is that these ideas are being debated. I do not like the classes that only give me one side of the story. Even if I agree with the one side the class is presenting, which a lot of times I find myself doing, I feel that it allows me to understand more about why I agree when I hear the other side of the story. I like hearing people debate about theses issues, and hearing why they feel the way they do. I think that doing these blog entries has helped me learn a lot about this.
This class has also made me feel more comfortable discussing uncomfortable topics, especially those pertaining racial issues. I always felt before the need to be somewhat politically correct. And while I still feel that a little bit, I feel now that it is more important for me to be politically polite. I feel more confident discussing racial issues, and feel that I could defend or debate either side of an argument pertaining to these issues. I also feel like I know more where I stand in terms of these issues.
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Unless someone has been thoroughly involved in Sociology or it is part of his or her major, I do not think that they can say that they knew everything. Especially since we have gone over so much different material. You must be a pretty perfect human to have already had a great understanding of all the aspects of diversity and race relations. But like Sam said, we are here to think. I have thought about a lot of what he has to say. Even if you just take the time to reflect what has been taught, then you will have a new understanding of something. If you feel Sam is bullshitting, then you must know everything then. Why bother showing up to class? You already have a perfect grasp of society and what is happening around the world, right?
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I think that it takes a pretty close minded person to sit in a class all semester and not absorb anything. Weather it changes your opinion or not at least it should make you think differently or perhaps see a situation from a different view. I really want to know how you can think that our country can import goods made by slave labor or did that not have any change on your opinion.
So what you are telling all of us is that not once this year Sam has not made a single statement that has made a change in how you think. What do you do during class? I think that if you actually pay attention Sam will defiantly have an effect on ones opinion. Your opinion doesn't have to change to the opposite end of the spectrum. If you fundamentally completely disagree with what Sam is saying then maybe it should change your opinion by strengthening it?
Sam has certainly made me think differently on several occasions. First of all I think that he made a really good point and continues to make me see things differently in relation to native Americans. I never even thought about the extent of what our ancestors did to the people who originally populated this country. Or even the incredible amount of racism and inequality that takes place still today. Native Americans were forced off their land and today are among the poorest in our country yet they are the last people that we hear about needing help. When we turn on the news we see stories about welfare or charities helping the homeless or reviving inner-city schools, but when do you see a story about the American Indians and the extreme poverty they live in. Why are there no initiatives to supply better education for them.
If you notice none of these solutions were addressed by Sam because I think he tries to show you his point but rarely offers solutions because solutions are influenced by personnel values and beliefs and I think Sam does a pretty good job of making us the individuals question, explore, and use our own values rather than his. This doesn't mean however that Sam has always towed the line because as with everything it is hard to keep emotion out of everything you talk about. But even when I disagree with Sam I can still see where he is coming from and saying that he has had no effect on you after almost an entire semester is hard to believe. People that you meat for five minutes can have an effect on you and make you think. So really I think that as long as you open up and try and pull something out of the class you can.
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First of all, I would like to give credit to the original poster. It took a lot for him to come forward and make this sort of post, and I think it is an important question to ask. First of all, I had some doubts about Sam’s class from the beginning. I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where racism is still rampant. I feel as though I experienced all sorts of racism, and a lot of what he had to say, I already experienced. In a place like State College, a lot of people are seemingly sheltered to living among minorities. Though I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia now, I don’t feel as though I fit into that oblivious filter. Instead, I think it is important for the other people in the class to pay attention. There is a lot that Sam says that is very important. Sam discusses the lifestyles of a lot of people in this world, and many people in the class will probably never live in an area where they have to see any of it. Sometimes people act as though if they don’t see the problem, it doesn’t exist. Sam brings their unfortunate struggles to the table, and makes people listen.
When people don’t listen, though, is when Sam goes off on one of his tangents. For example, I thought his fair trade rant went above and beyond. I tried to raise my hand to ask a question and was completely ignored. I totally agree with fair trade practices and think that it is important for people to support fair trade, but did not agree when Sam began his “Wal Mart” rant. He started talking about how cheap the clothes were and why the clothes were that cheap. Ok, I get it… But what I DIDN’T understand is why Sam’s lectures seem to contradict themselves. Wasn’t it just a few classes ago where we watched that heart wrenching video of the woman who had to walk fifteen miles to work at Burger King every day? What if that is all someone can afford? What about all of the lower echelon of people who can’t spend more than 10 dollars on a t-shirt? What if they can’t afford fair trade? It seems really ridiculous that Sam talks about these people who can’t afford anything, but literally swears when he talks about the “cheap shit” at Wal Mart.
I did learn a lot of things in Sam’s class. I think it depends on the day and the topic. We all come from different places, and we all see different things. I think Sam’s lectures open our eyes to how other people are living around the world, and leave it up to us to discuss it with our friends on our own time. I think it just depends on the subject and the person as to what they get out of Sam’s lectures.
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I am really glad that this question was posted for everyone. It is something that I have never really asked myself before. I mean, I have deeply listened to every lecture that Sam has had, but I never sat down and asked myself if my opinion has been changed. I do not believe that Sam wants us to change our specific views or opinions on the topics, but as a sociologist and teacher, it is his job to make us feel something about the topics, and take a look at them in a different light. My opinion hasn’t been changed yet, but I have definitely thought about things differently since taking this class.
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I think Sam Richards is a very intelligent man. He’s stated many times throughout this course that his goal isn’t to change anyone’s mind. He isn’t trying to change our beliefs; he’s simply trying to get us to think about things we wouldn’t normally think about. I believe I actually have taken a lot from this class and thought it over. His teachings haven’t necessarily changed my mind, but in fact simply made me start thinking about topics so taboo, I never thought to think of them.
For instance, a few weeks back we discussed a study done on the hiring rates of people and its relationship between black and white people. White people with a history of criminal charges linked to drugs were more likely to get a job call back than black people with the exact same credentials but without the criminal charges. Before this class, I was aware that some employers are simply racist. This situation, however, is a load of crap. To offer employment to someone with a criminal history in something that can be somewhat hidden over someone without a criminal history whatsoever, is bizarre. I understand that employers aren’t supposed to discriminate against job applicants based on their criminal history, but the numbers that were linked to this particular statistic seemed that the employers were simply picking the white people over the black people, regardless of their criminal past.
I understand the opinion that some of the stuff discussed in class isn’t life changing or “mind changing.” But for stuff like this to not make someone think twice about what’s really going on on the racial battlefield, seems absurd to me.
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I for one, feel as though if your mind hasn't changed the entire time that you've been in class, you either ignorant or naive, or you were well informed about race relations before you took this course. I for one, have learned a lot from this class. When i learned things, it wasn't that i changed my opinion on all the topics discussed. It was a case of me having a stronger opinion than i previously had. I could back up my opinion with facts that i actually understood. For example, i have always been against slavery, but i didn't know the extent to which slavery is being done throughout the world. I didn't know that there are more slaves now than ever before, and that the clothes i am wearing was produced by slaves. Now i understand the topic and have a more valid explanation for why i hate slavery.
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My opinions have changed on some things, but not everything. I feel like Sam does better job of making us aware more so than changing our opinions. If that means by making us aware, people change their opinions, then that’s great. Some people are made aware of issues, but don’t take action. He seems to talk a lot in circles too so I don’t know exactly how he wants us to change the way we think. Yesterday, we talked about sweatshops and a lot of our clothes coming from them. Sam said that it was wrong to purchase clothes from Walmart because slaves made them, which I understand. I then thought of the one woman in one of the videos we watched where she was so poor, she didn’t have a car, walked 10 miles to work, and basically lived on a minimum wage salary at Burger King that was supposed to support her whole entire family. How can that woman afford anything else except a $5 t-shirt from Walmart? How can you guilt a woman who is in absolute poverty into buying clothes that aren’t cheap? She barely survives on her income, so she can’t afford nice clothes that aren’t made from slaves. Honestly, I don’t know what she is supposed to do. We talked about poverty in the United States and we talked about slave operations. Does she really have a choice?
Within the class, I recently have been turned out for some reason. Whether it be the weather or because the same issues are being brought up and up, I just haven’t been really into the lecture. In the beginning I thought the class was great. I looked forward to going to it, but since spring break I haven’t been looking forward to going to it. When do pay attention, I find myself just being lost because he begins talking about something and then goes on some type of rant which makes me forget about what we were talking about in the first place. If you notice, it’s not just me in the lecture class who I think feels this way. You can tell by the dwindling attendence, the amount of talking during his lecture, and the amount of people who walk out on class. I do feel that these actions are rude, but at the same time it’s because people go to class and don’t want to be there. By making attendance such a big portion of our grade, a lot of people go to lecture just to get the points. I think that at this point in our life, were old enough to make our own decisions about coming to class and if that means not doing well on the examine because of not going to lectures, than we did it to ourselves.
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I mean honestly I feel like it should it be assumed you are being honest and that the phrase is really redundant. This is one of those topics where it is cool that it was brought up to have opposing viewpoints just as its more interesting when someone in your discussion group is racist or ignorant. These kinds of discussions are fun because you can argue as opposed to always agreeing and repeating what someone else says. It is good that this question was brought up to help us reflect on what we’ve learned this semester. I don’t think that this class changed my life and caused me to want to travel the world and stop consuming certain products but it did help enlighten me on how problems are caused, how to avoid them and remind me that the problem is a lot different when it is yours or someone else’s. On the way of causing a little guilt the class reminded me that there are people around the world that could be and should be treated better if we only wanted to see what was actually happening. It’s kind of depressing that people who I consider generally good like most of the class and me feel bad about something but don’t really do anything about it. I want to do something when there is a problem but usually get overwhelmed since the problem is too big. This class reminds you that you only need to take one step at a time. None of the social or racial problems are going to be fixed overnight but we can push it in the positive direction so that one day it will be. I did feel like I knew the major gist of what was taught in this class but emphasized points like what has happened to Native American Indian culture/welfare, that within groups there is no unanimous opinion on how they like to be called/treated (essentially everyone’s an individual), and global/local slavery opened my eyes a little bit. I feel like overall Sam’s large Soc 119 class was not perfectly customized for me but it probably was good for a large percentage of people who may have been more closed minded but I can’t say for sure. The kid in the video seemed like he had some balls saying this. More likely he is suffering from low self esteem and intelligence. When he saw himself on the blog if he even did it he probably got really excited and wanted all his friends to know. Sam doesn’t deserve this disrespect, he’s my bro. On to my next point, this kid is definitely a frat bro or bra depending on your accent. You can see with his swollen red race and the fact that he is wearing Kemp supersonics jersey that he loves yelling day long season and playing horseshoes with his shirt off. He probably calls himself by another name and most likely it is David Moss.
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I think that Sam has told us a lot of things that make you think in his class and some of It was pretty interesting and informative this semester. I never really thought about all the things he talks about until I had this class I think it is good he is trying to make us see things and realize what happens and how bad of a world we live in. I think that this is a really good class and that I learned a lot from it. I got a lot out of this class It changes your whole entire view on things. Sometimes it makes you feel like you can teach other people about things you learned in class and then you can make other people realize and maybe eventually you would have everyone working together making a difference in the world. I definitely feel this class is worth my time and I would recommend it to friends and anyone who would ask me about it. I think that Sam is a good teacher and he always talks about how his personal experiences changed his life and the way he thinks about things and I think that this is really great.
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I was pretty shocked that someone asked this question. But after thinking about it and looking through some people's posts I guess it's a fair question. I would agree with some people that something that Sam says are sometimes out there and kooky. But, like a lot of people said, his job isn't to change how we feel about something or make us change our habits. He wants to make us feel some kind of way about things when he brings something up. For instance he slavery lecture had on Thursday. He told us those stories about the people he has seen when he was traveling for a reason. Some of us may have never heard about situations like that unless he told us about it. We don't have to say it is one thing or another but we need to listen to it. Some things Sam says may not be a complete revelation to some of us but I’m sure that everyone can agree that he has caused us to focus on issues around the world and here at home that we never think about.
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I think that everyone should take this class as an elective while they are here at Penn State and I think that a lot of what he says could help us in life and you think about things like how cell phones are made by slaves and it makes you think like should I not have a cell phone and even the video about chocolate he showed us its like are we just not suppose to eat it or anything how do we know what’s right to do. Because if it was just one thing to do and it would stop slavery then I think people would try to do it but since it’s so much effort I think that you would need to do a lot of work to stop it and I think that he knows what he is talking about most of the time and I really like sitting in this class. I think that if everyone really listened to what Sam says they would all get something out of his class but a lot of people just don’t care and are just there to take the class and then leave and don’t care what they get out of it.
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I think it's true when he says "You never know what you don't know unless you hear it." This is a very true statement because I didn't know about some aspects of racial discrimination and slavery before he mentioned them in lecture. For instance, I never knew that Wal-Mart was helping slavery. Since I love going to Wal-Mart and saving on things, this makes me feel a different way about going to Wal-Mart. I saw a commercial on TV today which was about a Wal-Mart truck driver doing things so Wal-Mart customers could save even more. I said to myself, “yeah saving more money but to what other people’s expense?” This commercial also got me thinking about Wal-Mart’s motto; “save money, live better.” Yes it saves us money and we can live better but we are like the movie in class states, “eating slave’s flesh” or buying their flesh.
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I think that we all could learn something if we just listen to the things that Sam tells us about slavery, race etc and then eventually it starts to make sense and you look at it and you’re like wow I never thought of it that way and it really makes you think about it a lot.
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I don’t know, I guess this makes me pretty upset now that I have been going on with my life without really thinking about the people that made what I bought and what they had to go through in making it.
So, yes. I think that Sam doesn’t necessarily change our minds about topics but he really does make us think and form an opinion about the things he brings up in lecture.
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Sam hasn't changed my opinion on most topics but he has definitely made me think and after some lectures I walked away feeling like I had a much better understanding of certain issues.
One thing that changed my opinion was the classes about how children usually grow up to be about as rich or as poor as their parents. The correlation between SAT scores and parents' income was very eye opening and made me see how unbalanced our society can be. I used to think America was more equal for everyone but after seeing this plus what we learned about Native Americans and what we learned about the criminal justice system I see some of the unfairness. I really liked reading Disposable People because I had no idea slavery still existed and that millions of people are still slaves. I like Sam's teaching style because he is not afraid to discuss any issue even the "bleeding" class I found it funny how some people were so angry and offended because he brought up the topic. In many classes at Penn State I feel like I am not learning anything useful but I feel like I've taken a lot away from this class because it's made me think about my own beliefs and my own place in society. I don't understand how there are some people in this class who always leave early and don't pay attention to a thing Sam says.
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So for what seems to be your first question, I don’t think at any point so far in the semester Sam seemed to me like he was trying to change our opinions, or ever care to do so. He has said several times that his job is not to make us think like him, or change our minds; his job is to make us think… Period. So to sum it up for me, no, this class has not changed my opinions, but it has forced me to take a step back and really look at what my opinions are at their core. Many of the things that we have talked about, both in class and in my section, have caused me to start to think deeper about what my beliefs and opinions are, and more importantly why I have these opinions. So for me this class has been more about looking into myself, not as a white person, a man, or an American, but just as a person who has been conditioned all throughout my entire life to have a set range of emotions, beliefs, and opinions.
As for the second question, that one is harder to explain. Normally when something makes a difference to me I can’t seem to fully grasp just how much until after it happens. But, yes, I do believe that at least some, if not most of what we’re learning about has made a difference to me. Before this class I have only ever had one other professor that taught something that may have made more of a difference to me. The things that we are talking about are far more real to me than the math, economics, and english classes that I’ve taken in the past. This makes it more important, at least for me. For example, in our last class it felt to me that we had the opportunity to learn and talk about how each of our everyday choices can affect the rest of the world, whether it be negative by promoting slavery or positive by saying yes to things like free trade and fair wages, so with that said, I don’t know how I could sit through these discussions and not be affected.
I’m feel a bit confused that “anything he said this semester doesn’t make a difference,” to you. I guess I may not fully understand how or why you feel that way. But I am sorry that you do, because during this semester I feel like we have talked about a number of topics that could be thought provoking and have the potential to bring you a greater sense of who you are, at your core, as a flesh and blood being. My only suggestion is for you to let yourself open up and find your inner bigness, because if you can do that, you may find out far more about yourself.
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I think this class has gotten me to think about the topics at hand. It may not have changed all of my opinions, but it at least got me to think about everything and that what Sam has been trying to do all along. Because if we could get everyone to think about all of these topics then maybe it would get ignorant people to change their opinions and do something about all of the bad in the world. Sam isn't trying change our opinions he's just trying to get us to realize what our opinions are.
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Some things he says are absurd, I must admit but overall he is a pretty intelligent guy. I may not have the same view as him but a lot of times the things discussed I his class allows me to think about where I sand on the issue. A lot of times I come to my opinion by disagreement to his statements. I think we have to do exactly what he reiterates time and time again,” to think”. That is all he aims to do. Yes, sometimes he seems a little pushy but as long as you stand firm in what you believe in you will be fine. It is not until one is willing to have an open ear to listen to other views that they will get the true essence of Sam’s lectures.
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This is a very good question and I was thinking this same exact thing after every lecture that I have attended. I would think "how would the things that Sam said actually play out in life" and even after hearing the lectures I still believe the things I do, but I understand different views and walks of life. But I do appreciate his honesty because some days I have felt like I didn't learn anything and others I felt like I could do things differently in everyday life. The lectures that hit home like the most recent one about slavery and the class where we watched the video of the dolls really hit home.
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Sam says a lot of stuff that I agree with and every so often he says something with which I completely disagree. But the question is, “Is there anything that has really changed my opinion?” and I’d have to answer “Yes”. Sam’s lecture on LGBT awareness was pretty enlightening. This was somewhat what of an affirmation of my own beliefs, but his viewpoints were unique and really changed how I viewed the entire issue. I think his constant insistence that we do not live in a binary world where one view point is pitted versus another, or there are only a set number of ways to view something resonates significantly with me. Sometimes I feel he’s wrong, but his push for consideration as the route to answers is inspiring.
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I am responding to the post if any of our opinions have been changed by class or not. I am unsure how I feel about this post. Sam tries so hard to open our eyes up to many different things in soc 119. It is his job to try and change how we feel about different subjects and open our eyes to new things. Many of the things he discusses in class have already been said, but for each person in class what matters is if you have heard it already. I myself am from a very non diverse area back home. My graduating class had no Asians, no African Americans, and no Indians or Arabs. Thus, coming to Penn State was a eye opening experience for me. Today, I can say that I have Asian, African American, African, Indian, and Arabian friends. I am very glad that I have came to Penn State and have met the people I have met. I have definitely changed since three years ago. I no longer have the same stereotypes as I used to have. That being said, I think I have learned some things from Sam’s class.
I have learned about the slavery that exists in the world. However, I am still unsure about the whole situation because the book is very dated. Being ten plus years old, I believe that many changes have happened in those ten years and that things are different now. I myself am a Supply Chain Major which means in the future I will be determining where to buy different things from. If I work for Hershey for example I will be in charge of locating the best suppliers and having good relationships with them. It will be interesting to learn the inside information from these countries. I do feel very sad for the people who are living as slaves, but I do not believe it is because of us. I believe the governments of those countries are at fault. In a perfect world everyone would be happy and would be on equal ground. But the world is not perfect, never has been, and never will be. There will always be slaves, if not slaves there will be people making a tiny percentage of what the people in charge are making. I did no like Sam’s classes about people not determining their fate themselves. My parents make combined around $45,000 a year. However, my sister who is now 27 already makes over $75,000 a year. She got to where she is now through hard work. I believe that I will do the same. Everyone has the opportunity to step up and do multiple things in life. While, you may not have as much free time to watch television for example you can still better yourself.
In the end, I agree with some of Sam’s ideas, but I disagree with most and they have not changed my opinion. I still view races the same as I did before and I still believe that people are responsible for what they do in life and it does not matter if you are asian, black, white, or Hispanic.
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I think that these classes and what Sam says have made me think and question things a lot. Not so much change my mind because I feel like I'm pretty open minded but just made me think at the reasons behind my opinions. His classes have also opened my mind to the things that other people think and feel. I think race relations classes are important to have because they give us insight into other cultures. It is also interesting to see now that everywhere I look there are things that I can see are really holding back certain people and it makes me think, will we ever really change?
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Okay great question. I have been wondering this for most of the semester. The other day I walked out of class for the first time because I simply could not stand feeling like I was always going to be a bad person. I am not a big fan of Sam or this class. I spoke to a friend the other day and said I would most likely not recommend this class again. I came into this class with high hopes. I had heard it was one of the greatest classes at Penn State. I hoped to hear a lot of debate and controversy. I expected far more in class discussions. What I got instead were lectures with hardly and real facts. I had heard from people who took the class before that LGBT was by far the greatest lecture of the class. Instead I was disappointed that no real controversy was brought up besides inequality. I had hoped to hear the opinion of more LGBT students. I expected great debate.
Sam is a great professor. He is very comfortable in front of an audience. He is comfortable with himself. However, I find him to be a huge hypocrite. I feel like he says so many things that he does not have a solid stance on issues.
A few classes have really taken me by surprise. The one class where he disclosed that he would gladly be bisexual and after his wife be gay, shocked me. Sam does not realize how strong he comes off at first. If you do not know him, you would dismiss him. I agree that sexuality is not an issue now after taking the class, but at first I was very shocked. After a few times of telling us about his rendezvous with drugs, I found them funny, but at first I found him highly unprofessional. Also, he should note to never talk about menstruation without first notifying the class. I was more disgusted than pleased that it was brought up, and I’m female!
So, what have I taken from this class and will I apply it? Well, I have learned that inequality exists all over the world, and just because injustice is not happening hear, does not mean it is not happening somewhere we support. I have learned that Native Americans are still treated unfairly. My opinions are far more free choice; that we make life what we want it. I do not feel White guilt about Native Americans. I do feel more aware about race issues and take more offence to injustices. White people do hate being called racists. I believe issues need to be talked about more and we need to really discuss how we are feeling about these issues instead of seeing where history takes us.
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I think some people confuse what Sam is doing with trying to change your mind or make you see things his way. That's not the point. His job is to get you to think about things from a different perspective or bring topics to you that you had never heard before. It's up to each of us to take what he says and do as we will. There are going to be some people in the class who are going to listen to the things Sam says and go home and change something about what they do and there are others who are going to think about it and decide that what they're already doing is how they want to stay. Both of those are acceptable options as long as you take the time to THINK about what it is he's saying. You can agree, disagree, be offended, be angry, be sad, be whatever you feel just as long as you take the time to figure out WHY you feel that way. There is nothing wrong with being content with the way your life is and how you see things–stay inside of your bubble. But you need to look through the clear exterior of that bubble at the world around you. Most likely, whatever you do in life is going to put you in a place that is different from where you grew up and it could help to be able to see things from other people's perspectives.
I think a lot of your reception of the class topics has to do with how you grew up. If you've never experienced any of these things first-hand or don't know anyone who has been through these things, then you may not be open to the discussions and the emotions that come along with them. You can't help where and how you grew up and it's good that you never experienced discrimination, but for the people that have, these topics hit home and it's hard to understand why people aren't more interested in trying to do something about it. So to those who have had these experiences, try to understand what it must be like for those who haven't had your experiences. It's hard to build emotions and a desire to make changes when all you can base things off of is an hour long lecture. It's just your job to see what the issues look like from the outside. I think we all have different roles in this class and what you take from the lessons is up to you and your willingness to expand your knowledge. Just think about it. That's all Sam can ask of us.
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I was always skeptical about taking this class because I hate when teachers only express one sided views. I still feel like Sam is somewhat one sided but there are times when he does throw in views from the other side. A lot of the things he says are completely outrageous and would never expect to hear from anyone but he does make you think. I feel like a lot of the material is common sense but he allows for us to think about questions and statements that not many people have heard before. Sometimes I hate sitting in his class because I disagree with most of his views, but besides that I have definitely thought about things a lot more.
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This is a great question to bring to the class blog! Finally, something different to blog about and bring some opinions to the table. I mean these blogs are to get us talking and voice our opinion, I think this question is great to obtain feedback from students. Every week it’s the same questions or news articles being posted and frankly, I feel like I’m repeating myself. Sam did say at the beginning of the semester that he wasn’t here to change our minds or opinions, to only allow ourselves to think about what he’s saying.
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Throughout this semester, I feel like most of what Sam talks about is common sense or already relevant, something that most of us have known and mostly stuff that doesn’t need to be looked into as much as most of us are. He spends so much time on certain aspects allowing us to think and think and think, only leading to people getting pissed off and picking at silly little things. This being said, Sam has not changed my mind about anything, I still have the same feelings and beliefs that I had coming into this class. I have not changed the way I feel and that’s why these blog entries have become so redundant. Actual a lot of what Sam says, I see myself constantly turning to my friend and saying, “That’s a lie,” or “He just made that up to get our attention.” I mean, honestly, how many times is Sam saying, “This right here is going to rock your world,” and it ends up being something so bogus and off topic.
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Entering into a race relation course I was skeptical about what the teacher would be like and whether or not racial tension would arise. However, much to my liking this course is more than just “this race that race” type of material. Instead, Sam offers a mundane insight how one thought, can be viewed in many different lights. Instead of just describing slavery, he makes it know at all aspects and truly makes an effort to exemplify the global pandemic.
Although some of the word choice of Sam’s may be controversial, he said so at the beginning of the course that he is a “knucklehead” and he doesn’t give a shit. And truthfully, he’s right. Actions speak louder than words and you cannot argue that someone who phrases their ideas in a “bizarre” way does not still get the point across. As a student and a citizen of this WORLD I am highly offended by this asshole’s comment about not changing any opinion.
In order to truly say that you have not altered a single opinion makes you either ignorant and arrogant, or the smartest person in the class. Surely you were not aware to the complexity of the racial world around you. And if it truly doesn’t bother you that people are being treated the way that they are. Then you need to open your eyes, and take a closer look. It is by CHANCE that you were LUCKY to be one of the well off americans who aren’t forced into labor or beaten. What if the role was reverse, rewind your clock to the hour you were born, and instead of coming out of your mother’s womb you came out of an African slave or thai prostitute. Would you not grow up to hope for the same pity and desire the same RESCUE that you refuse to acknowledge in your perfect unaffected world.
“Anything he said this semester does not make a difference to me…” I mean honestly, Don’t talk. Actually, just sign your name and walk out. If his words don’t make a difference to you then leave. Obviously his tests make a difference to you. So indeed what he does say does matter in that sense to you. The man has his opinions, and also his facts, maybe you should stop chattering and pay more attention and get a more general sense of what is going on. He is not here to change your opinions, but rather give you the opportunity to think about them, and reconsider the alternatives to given scenarios.
It’s all good though this world is full of ignorant and arrogant assholes so I should just be used to it. Just pains me to see the fact that even when presented with the fact people still feel the need to neglect the pure evil and corruption of the world and not think about the bigger picture. That’s just selfish and egocentric.
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I understand it’s hard for a professor to gain the attention of 800 students, but it is just the way I feel about it. I feel like he’s been going off topic more and more, I mean that’s fine, it’s April, the semester is coming to an end, and we’re all ready to cash out, but tell us something newsworthy, something we don’t know, grab our attention with something other than bleeding, pot, and comedians.
I do believe this class is beneficial and worth taking, it just sucks that by this point in the semester, this is what I’m feeling. And maybe it’s just me? I'm not blogging to bash this class in any sense, I'm just voicing my opinion and how my feelings have not changed. I do have feelings abotu what Sam is addressing and I do think a lot into what he discusses. We've all been in personal expereiences to mold who weare today, and it's human for me to feel and think about what is being taught. This class is interesting and enjoyable, and it has gotten me to think about what Sam is saying, it just hasn't changed my mind.
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I think that this kid poses a very good question, though he does come off a bit rude in his speech. The question of whether or not anything that we learn in this class makes a difference to us is a difficult question to answer. Personally, I believe that we take in all of the information that Sam gives us and are often shocked or surprised by it. However, at least for the most part, I think that once we leave the class, we continue on in our everyday, normal lives and are not really changed by what we learned inside. One thing that Sam frequently mentions is how he has really been changed and now views race relations and things of this nature in a completely different way. However, one thing he does not mention as frequently, though he does talk about it once in a while, is that it was a very long process for him to change his perspective. Looking at and internalizing the six steps that we have been going over recently in changing our views is one thing, but actually being able to go through that process is a completely different variable. One thing that I think that is important to note is that I don't think Sam's class changes our minds unless we are ready and have the motivation to change our minds. By this I mean that those who have to motivation to pursue a change of opinion, much like Sam did in his past, will be influenced by Sam's class and change their opinion. One must know though that these people likely would have changed their opinions anyway and Sam's class merely offered them a venue to do so. On the other hand, those who come into class merely expecting it to be an interesting class will most likely not change their opinions. They will be fascinated by the new view points and statistics and even post their thoughts on a blog post, much like I am know, but the class will most likely not cause them to change their opinion. Another thing that Sam talks about in class is the idea that he does not care about our grades or what our opinions are. He truly wants us to just think. If we think, then he will be happy. He does not want us to necessarily change our opinions, rather he just wants to stimulate our thinking and allow us view things from a different perspective. This is something that one needs to consider when going into the class. What we do is really up to us and based on our wants. If we really want to change, then it will happen. Sam's class is very fascinating and offers incredibly different viewpoints on topics that are ever relevant in contemporary society. The class is not guaranteed or expected to change your opinion, but if you give it a chance, it will likely enlighten and educate you to many truths of society.
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This is a really good question cause I haven't really thought about it. I don't think Sam has really changed my views on any of these issues but he has definitely opened my eyes. Before this class I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you the difference between race and ethnicity or I wouldn't have known how many slaves there are in the world. I understood that people of the white race tend to be favored but I had no idea how much. It was really eye opening to actually see the numbers and statistics in front of me.
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So the question I am wondering, “Is this kid a racist who hasn’t changed his views”, or is this someone who simply racially “enlightened”. Frankly I think he is close minded. I will not call him a racist, since I do not know his specific opinions regarding race or his cultural background. I will say that he has not opened his mind to the idea Sam has been stressing the whole semester, “I do not want to change your mind…I just want you to start thinking”. I don’t understand how after weeks of sitting through a class with such startling facts and truths someone could not “change their mind” or at the very least get something out of it. After struggling with my own mixed race identity I can honestly say I am at the end of the race identity spectrum, leaning towards the side of racial enlightenment. I do not see color, I see people. I realize that everyone is different, no matter their race. I understand that race does not determine one’s intelligence or ability. The social structures around us do however shape and alter the type of opportunities offered to us. At this point in my life I find it hard to believe that someone could not be impacted by anything we have studied this semester. Are you “honestly” listening? Or are you influenced by your own self confirmation bias? Are you sitting through every class ignoring the facts that dispel your own opinions and only listening to the things that reaffirm your own stereotypes? My next question for this person would be, “Why did you even take this class?” “Why did you take a class on race relations if you are not interested in taking in this material?”
This blog response makes me consider the topic of intolerance. After four years of college I have reached a point of no return. After two sociology classes, a greater exposure to the black community, and numerous race relations project discussions, I am done with intolerance and close mindedness. I have absolutely no patience for it. I realize that not everyone has my unique background, however after attending a large public university and learning about the world, everyone should at least consider these ideas regarding race. Excuses like, “I don’t know any black people” just don’t work anymore. Racism and intolerance thrive on the unknown. They thrive on people’s preconceived notions and misguided stereotypes. It is only when people consider the unknown that they can become enlightened. Sitting through weeks of Soc. 119 would undoubtedly reveal many unknown facts and dispel many common stereotypes. The idea that these ideas have been completely ignored by some of my classmates is ridiculous and mostly disappointing. It is however, the reality of life at Penn State, of life in the United States.
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When I first signed up for this class, I just saw a class that got pretty good reviews on ratemyprofessor.com and was a gen ed that I needed to graduate. On the first day I went into class and listened to the things Sam said and I thought to myself that this guy was crazy and I should drop this class or I was probably going to fail it. I was talking later with my friends and we decided that we weren’t going to drop it because we thought that some of the things he said could be useful and there wasn’t a better class for us to pick up instead.
It is now almost the end of the year and I can honestly say that this class hasn’t really done all that much for me. While all of my friends seem to find more and more insight out of Sam and this class I find myself struggling to pay attention and comprehend what he is saying, especially as the weather is getting better and better. All of my friends walk out of the class talking about the things he said and how it makes them feel and how it has changed their lives and I just don’t seem to be affected by it like they are.
I just believe that most of the things Sam has said seem to be common sense or things that I don’t really seem interested in. When that happens I find myself zoning out and missing the rest of the lecture, which might include stuff that isn’t common sense I just can’t seem to pay attention enough to see what is and isn’t common sense. It’s not that I think Sam is a boring guy it’s just that he gets off subject really easily and starts to ramble and he goes completely off subject a lot and that makes it hard for me to pay attention to him.
It’s not that I believe that the stuff we discuss in this class isn’t important it’s just that I feel like it’s things we should already have thought about and already reached an opinion on before entering class. Like when he talked about slavery and eating the chocolate, I already knew that slavery was involved in many things, not necessarily just making chocolate. Even though I saw the video and thought it was slightly disturbing I still ate the second piece, while most of my friends looked at me like I was crazy for eating the second piece. So this class is teaching me some things, but it didn’t change my opinion and I will still eat chocolate and buy things from Wal-Mart, even though I now know that they are made by slaves.
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I don't know if my opinion has been drastically changed but I feel that I have learned and really thought about what is said. that is why I took this course to hear other peoples opinions and see if mine are different, and if so how and why they differ. for me my opinion has been questioned and even expanded by Sam's class and I think that it could in the long term change my opinion. for me I try to keep an elastic opinion, one that could be changed by the valid arguments of others but also trying to keep it wholly my own. I think that the reason I became interested in Journalism was because I want to know peoples stories, mine i write everyday but others are written away from me and there fore hidden that is what i like about this class I get to hear differing opinions and being changed by them. for me that is the greatest idea about college and the world.
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This class is very eye opening for me; I actually took sociology 100 which was the best class ever. Although I have learned a lot from this class, some information seem inaccurate. There is a lot of racism in the world; we all know that, but most information provided in class seems to have no facts behind it. The thing that surprised me the most was the whole situation with modern slavery, I still cannot believe it. Everything I learned is so horrible and yet there is nothing to be done about it. I really wish I can do anything about it, but it is so profitable and no one is going to care as long as it is not harming them, for example if the united states had been affected by modern slavery in anyway. There would be a war right now to stop slavery. It’s all about degrees of relation; no one is going to care about anything unless they can benefit from its outcome. Sadly, no one is going to personally benefit from the outcome that is beside the poor families of those people. Imagine if this information was available to everyone then maybe someone will eventually do something about it, but those who write books about slavery sell it for expensive price so they can make money, everyone wants to benefit from everything. Either way I don’t agree with Sam Richard blaming us for slavery, telling us that eating chocolate is like eating someone’s flesh. It doesn’t make sense, we pay for our food, it is not my fault that the middle man gets their profit from slaves, even if we buy the expensive food that is supposed to be from a real company that doesn’t profit from slavery then they will become big and start having more demand for whatever they are selling and eventually they will start hiring slaves across the world and be just like all the other companies. It is not our fault that they system is corrupted, it is a very sad thing that is going on across the world right now, but there is nothing we can do. There is nothing I can do, I am just a small spec in this big world, this global issue needs to be know across the world so we can do something about it. We all need to work together to fix that because one person CANT make a different in this situation , we have to help one country at a time to get rid of this horrible problem, and I really hope that something is done soon enough because people’s lives are ruined and their futures are destroyed to benefit others, i its really not fair.
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I think this a good question because I sometimes feel the same way too… However the more i think about this question the more I know the answer to it. I think that I think more about what Sam dicusses in class than what I am really aware of. There are times when I catch myself thinking about race and inequality and other issues that are prevalent in my every day life. I honestly don't understand how a person couldn't think one thought about the past 3 months. There are some pretty deep messages rooted in Sams lectures… Maybe the reason why this guy is having so much difficulty changing or challenging his opinions is because he is either having side conversations, texting on his phone, or sleeping. There are things that Sam says that I disagree with and agree with – changing my opinion is difficult sometimes, however I think that a change of opinions could also be seeing someone else side and opening up your own point of view to be able to see others…
Sometimes people are too concerned about themsleves to even consider what the other person thinks when they are having a discussion. I feel like all to often people hear one thing that they dont believe in and then freak out of that specific person but just say everything that they themselves believe in, and neglect to hear the other persons point of view. Like the person who doesn't want to hear anything after another says something they don't like will scream out their beliefs and ideas and forget that there is someone else in the conversation.
Anyway going back to this kids question. I wouldn't necessarily say that my opinions have changed as much as my mind has been opened up. I never thought some of the things existed that we have learned about in this class. I also never knew to the extent of how mistreated other people in the world are being treated. I think that this weeks talk about the chocoloate was an instance of how my mind was opened up. I knew that there was slavery in the world, I just never knew it existed and how bad it was in reality. I think demonstrations that take place in class are proof that someone has to feel a certain way about what is being said and shown in the lecture. Although I will admit that some days it is really boring and really hard to follow the lectures, a lot of other days I find it easy to pay attention and really get something out of the hour and fifteen minutes I have this class, twice a week.
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I think this is a very fair and relevant question and my answer to it is without doubt a resounding yes. There have been countless issues that Sam has brought up that have really made me rethink the way I view myself, others, and the entire world in some cases. From the issues we covered on slavery to raising money for Haiti I’ve had my eyes opened many times. This class has gone a long way towards making me much more grateful for the things that I have. Sam was spot on the first day of class when he said this class would make us think. I know for me it has certainly made me think a lot about several issues and I’ve discussed them with my friends outside of class. This may not be the case for everyone, but this is my favorite class I’ve taken at here at Penn State to date and in my opinion the most interesting. I can actually take things out of the classroom here and think about them outside of class unlike my other classes where I usually struggle to stay awake.
The most recent issue we covered was slavery and it has been something I thought and talked about since the second class when went over the answers to the opening day quiz. I was amazed with the amount of people that live in slavery today. It really made me think a lot about how corrupt people can be and how they can exploit others and treat them that terribly. I knew there was a lot of sweatshop labor and mistreatment of employees with all the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries. I really do feel for those people and I can’t imagine how they get along in life with the little bit of compensation they receive if any at all. It’s truly a terrible thing that they’re subjected to this kind of treatment and for the most part the general public in this country isn’t privy to this information. You can hardly buy any products anymore that aren’t those of slave labor or sweatshop labor.
I feel compelled to try and change the way this system works, but it has so much momentum and it is such a large system of corruption. It’s unreasonable to stop buying things all together, because so many products that are involved in our everyday lives are tainted by slavery. There are small steps be taken such as the contracts that some universities have signed to hold the apparel companies to the agreement that their products will not be from sweatshops. This is certainly a good thing being done, but it is not enough on its own to make a dent in the system. I don’t have the answers for what we should do about it, but I feel like something should happen to combat slavery.
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I agree with you here. After this class is over, I will continue my class the exact same as I did before I took this class. Granted I’ll keep some of Sam’s thought in my mind, but I won’t stop buying clothes or foods because they have some slavery links down the production line. I also won’t view people any different than I do now. It’s not arrogance; it’s just that I feel as if it really doesn’t matter I do. I’ll always be polite and political correct and do the right things, but I will not change the way how I live my life.
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I agree with someone who said earlier that many things Sam says in class I already knew but only knew them from my perspective. I think my own opinions have helped me learn more than the ideas Sam has said during class. I can thank Sam for making me think about things differently. I think before taking Soc I was stuck in my own opinion and saw the world through a very narrow scope. After taking Soc and hearing stories from other students I don’t necessary see things how I use to see them. I don’t think everyone agrees with what Sam has to say and I don’t think that you should. I don’t think Sam wants you to, if anything he wants you to think.
I don’t really know why the guy in the video took soc if he feels this way. He obvious had to have known that it was going to be cultural submersion and you learn about all different views outside your own. The important thing is to learn more about yourself because ultimately if you don’t learn about yourself and why the way you think then how can you completely understand others. It’s kind of shallow and ignorant to say that you learn absolute nothing from any class. Even if you absolutely hate a class, you learn something from the experience. I have had plenty of teachers that I disagreed with and would dread going to their class everyday, but I still took something away from each one of those people. If you cannot take anything away from the class then you obviously are missing the whole point of any learning experience. You should try to seek out enlightenment in everything in life whether that experience is negative or positive for you.
I think Sam has been teaching the course, and held the same discussions with past students that he knows what is going to create controversy. But I think that is what he wants because controversy leads to discussion, which is basically what the course is all about. I don’t know why people would really complain about this class. It’s not like we are being difficultly tested each week. All we really have to do is show up to class for an hour and a half and listen to different ideas and thoughts. Some people find some ideas too much to swallow and get angry which makes no sense to me. Obviously there are ideas and thoughts outside your own and that does not mean you always have to agree with them, but you should at least learn about them as opposed to being ignorant to them.
All in all I think it would be a huge exaggeration to say that you learned absolutely nothing and take nothing from the class because even though you think that you are probably wrong. Maybe the information will not be used now but maybe later in life when you approach a situation you will remember the things you have learned from soc whether they were negative or positive for you.
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I have thought about this a lot throughout the semester. I can understand where some people are coming from when they say they disregard what Sam teaches. A lot of the concepts we learn seem too big to really comprehend to have them make sense in our own lives. For example, I know that Sam wasn’t tryin to make us end modern day slavery- but I know that that topic definitely seems too big for me myself to do anything about. But even still, just because I don’t feel like I can do much about that, I think that you really have to not have any feelings for other human beings being treated a certain way to say that you can just disregard and ignore whatever he says. I think that people that disregard everything that Sam says are the people that realize its easier to be ignorant, and pretend problems don’t exist, than to possibly challenge the ideas we’ve grown up with, and even change our ways.
However, I know that for me, and a lot of other students in this class, Sam has accomplished exactly what he said he was going to do at the beginning of the semester.. which was to make us think and look at things in a new light. I have definitely looked at race in a completely new way. But more importantly, the material we have learned has given me the ability to have an “educated” conversation about race, with both people of my race, and of other races. This is true because we have been presented with the reality of differences in race, stereotypes, LGBT issues, etc.
Actually, I think that the classs on LGBT issues was probably where I learned most about a topic that I had all wrong and was completely uninformed about. For example, things that I could talk about in conversation now are that children of LGBT couples are no more likely to be gay than children of straight couples. Things like this are what we need to be able to sit down and have a conversation, and be able to defend or argue something with facts (like the statement that being gay is a choice and stems from the environment you grow up in)
In general, the class has opened me up to an entire new world of thinking. Most of all it made me realize how uninformed I was- that I had opinions and ideas for each of the topics we learned about in class, and I thought that it was just the way it is. While some of the things said in class seem “out there,” mainly because they are not the types of things you expect to hear from a professor, I can really say that I don’t disregard what we learn in class at all.
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I think this is a question that a lot of people in the class have actually thought about and it is one that we talked about in our discussion group. This class is one that was really an eye opener for me. I think a lot of what we talk about during class is stuff that we, as students, do already know, but maybe things that we haven’t thought that hard about before. I don’t really think that anything in the class has necessarily changed an opinion that I have had, because I think that I went into the class pretty open minded however, it really has opened my eyes to things that I never even really thought about before. For instance, something that really was interesting to me and made me look harder at others was one of the first days of class when Sam lined a bunch of people up in the front of the room and took a smart student from the class and asked him to group the people into who he thought were most alike.
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