Religion

I feel that our society, and the world is secularizing. The reason I feel this is, because we have a much more newly developed generations. The new generation has new technology, and do research, and get involved in much more nowadays, that they have been able to form their own views on religion and what they believe in . Religion is no longer as forced upon children as they were in the past, therefore those that grow have been able to think more. I also feel that a lot of people, such as I, who do have a religion, but do not actively practice it by going to church, or talking about it much. The government has not been forcing religion on us as they have used to, and neither does much TV or media.

Urban/Suburban/Rural Life

As an Air Force "military brat", I have lived in the suburbs all of my life. I live on my own and currently live in the suburbs. I have had a somewhat sheltered life and never strayed away to any rural areas at all, but I am only 24 years old so I am sure that I will run into them at some point. I watch documentaries all of the time on tv and see them, and notice the huge differences between suburban and rural. I have seen changes living in the suburbs here in northern VA, such as the constant reconstruction of our roads, and repaving and cleaning and improving. I doubt there are much improvements in rural areas, at least not as constant. I have been in urban neighborhoods in the DC area,  and see some changes here and there to improve the streets, buildings. I didn't really notice any personal differences as far as the types of people living in suburbs and urban areas.

Shift Happens

This video opened my eyes a bit because I thought that we were one of the most developed countries in the world, but I now no that we are not.
I've always known that things change constantly, but this video somewhat broke it down in statistics and numbers and everything and it is actually somewhat scary honestly. Things have changed so much just from me being a young child to my age now (24). We didn't have cell phones when I was 7, and we had internet I believe when I was 10, but it was slow dial up and it was all just beginning in my household. Nowadays, we have the most insane tools of technology, even children's toys have internet access.

I feel that our education system needs to be ready for all the changes that are happening purely based on the fact that the generations are going to be more knowledgeable and connected to the change as they grow.

I personally love the changes even though it is a bit scary how fast it all happens. Social networking has kept me connected with so many people since I was a military brat. I highly doubt I would stay connected to them if there wasn't the internet. Also, you can find anything on the web. It is great for school because you do not have to sit and read an encyclopedia to search.

This world is going to only change with new bigger things, and faster things, and ideas that you would never dream of. Every time I think they can't come up with any better technology, I am surprised.

Is walmart good for America?

Oh good ol' Wally World, is what I call Walmart, it is like a wonderland for those that choose to save. They price match, have lowest prices, and you can pretty much return anything. You need a small part, or paint, or maybe some arts and crafts for the kids? Walmart is the place to be. The Walmart by me has a full grocery market, eye doctors, a subway and a nail salon. It also has an area where you can do your taxes, so it truly is one stop shopping. Walmart is absolutely fantastic for consumers, because of their prices you can be in and out.

If you are looking for quality however, it is not the best. The customer service lacks, the maintenance is lacking, it isn't the cleanest most organized store, and also they will do their restocking, remodeling, and inventory while you are shopping. It goes with the saying, "You get what you pay for"

Now, as far as the retailers who sell to Walmart, based on the video, it is bad for their America. The cheap prices interfere with the retailers making money, and forcing their products to cheapen out and be manufactured from china and other countries.I am sure retailers feel bullies by them because if they do not abide by the Walmart price, then as they did with Rubbermaid, they will drop some of their products.   They have to find a way to compensate the profit loss due to Walmart's priority of having the cheapest prices to buy. It puts a damper on retailers and anyone who works for Walmart because they can't get paid much due to Walmart's prices.

I hate Walmart because of it's low end quality, but I do love the prices and find myself there constantly for things I absolutely need. It is definitely a love/hate relationship.

The second shift

This was a fun activity to look at it because it made me realize that my parents both did pretty much equal work and I helped because I am the oldest sibling of course but they would always both do the cooking, cleaning, playing with us, bills, work, shopping, and dealing with our school stuff. I noticed my mom did more of the decorating and planning our birthday parties and sending out our extended families gifts and everything and my dad did more of the dirty work such as lawn-mowing, walking pets, and shoveling the snow.

As I got older I was the baby sitter for my sister and brother especially during summer, but they paid me to teach me money making and work skills so it was never unfair to me. My parents did a lot, and that chart definitely showed it since it was typed out like that versus thinking about it.

A tale of two families

I found "A Tale of Two families" very interesting because it put into perspective that with the way these two boys grew up, and the times constantly changing, that one generation really does set the bar for the next. My mother and father work very hard because they were comfortable in their upbringing because both of their fathers were in the military. My father is black, and my mother is Filipino, white and Native American. They worked hard so that today they are able to send me, my sister to college, and in a few years my younger brother. My mom says we have to set it up for our children to make it better and better and told me that when I have children, I must have a savings for them on the side as they grow and distribute it so that they learn when they grow, yet not suffer which is what I plan to do. We have to set the bar for generations to come.

Global Inequality

I agree with Jennifer Lerner on the podcast of how we should care about global inequality because in this world, country to country interaction are a vital to live. We need things from countries and they need things from us. It goes on and on like a merry-go-round. We need to know where they come from and they need to know where we come from. We have to care about how everyone in the world in different countries are treated whether it be culture, politics, poverty vs the rich, all of it. It is very important to know about the global inequality because it affects us greatly whether we know it or not.

The Political Work of Drag

I have all my life been friends with many gays, lesbians, and gays who were drag queens. I lived in Florida for a better part of my life and there are many who reside their and now living in VA, I made more friends here and you can't ask for more open minded, no judgement friends. I have seen tons of these Drag Shows, and people of every gender, race, sexual orientation, just eat this entertainment up. I have witnessed horrible acts upon some of my friends throughout the years from close minded people or those that were uncomfortable but nonetheless times are changing.

I like that the two women in the article took time to see how these drag queens were outside of performances and in everyday life, because I have some friends who do drag, that are dentists, teachers, and also one that owns his own business and you would never know just by interacting with them, that they participated in drag shows. Granted there are some more men out there that are a bit more out there and flamboyant, but a lot of the respectable drag queens in this area are professionals in their 9 to 5.

This brings to light the saying "never judge a book by its cover", because you just really never ever know and if you judge on what you see as far as a drag queen for example, you may just find that same person taking care of you at the clinic for your normal medical checkups.

Hugh Laurie-America Song (week 3)

I actually laughed at this video myself because I frequently do watch BBC channel and get their humor. It is the same humor we have towards all countries. I feel that this clip represented that they think our country is very self-centered, which it tends to be, because he only said "America" and "The States" and put a nice rhythm behind it. BBC channel does mock us a lot but needless to say....I am proud to be an American and I love this country!

This song will now be stuck in my head for a few days.

My blog was hacked for a bit!

I was told I had a hacker amongst my blog but it is all cleared out now. Everyone be very careful, as this has happened a few times with previous blogs I have had before. Heads up, do not open ANY emails that you do not recognize. Rebooting your computer for 12 hours is not fun.

Changing Social Connections Week 6

Do you think Americans today are more isolated due to technology? 


Of course I do! I actually did an experiment a month ago for a full mon-fri week of not using my phone or social network unless it was for work or school purposes and I was beside myself. I feel like it has definitely isolated us because some of us can be on our phones or internet for hours. My boyfriend and I actually have to go on dates without our cell phones sometimes just so that we are not distracted sometimes. Even if we only touch our phones out of habit, even though we have no notifications or anything. I always joke that our evolution poster of man is going to go from the caveman, to human, to a human with their neck built permanently down because everyone is constantly looking down at their phones, computers, tablets, etc.


I feel children are more so isolated though based on gaming, and social networks, and everything else because it lets them escape school and maybe some drama dealing with their school peers and everything. 


I do think it will get worse, I just hope that parents try to install some of the old school morals and lessons in their children as I plan to do when I have kids just to keep them grounded and not caught up in all the technology to where they lose social skills.

Exploring Social Class in the U.S.

I used to be a military brat, my father is retired Air Force, and I can definitely understand how social class plays a huge part in our lives here in America. As a child, we moved around a lot, similar to the girl from the People Like Us website.  The changes in scenery didn't really start to affect me until 8th grade, because I didn't really care as a kid and loved meeting new people and have loved everywhere we have lived. However, when I entered high school we lived in DC, on Bolling AFB and I started 9th grade at a DC school downtown and it was not exactly what I was used to. I went to private school for 7th and 8th grade and it was nice. This DC school was a culture shock for me completely, because before you even entered the school, you had to go through metal detectors. In my previous school, I had many friends and everyone loved my company, but in this DC school is was predominantly Black and Hispanic students with a few from Ethiopia. I am multiracial, being Black, White, Filipino, and Native American, yet did not fit into this school at all. They had their own groups and classes and I was an outcast, literally in the entire school. It was a school more on the poor side, but it was the only school that buses went to from Bolling AFB. I was judged for being different because I was told I spoke too proper of English, and they called me a snob only because I talked the right way. A lot of kids there had kids themselves and they created their own groups, the only people I sat at lunch with and that were nice to me were the two girls from Ethiopia.

My mom caught wind of this, and we moved to Mount Vernon, VA and I went to a school there. It was a large school and very clean and nice, but the groups were the same because of the area that we lived in. My dad chose a new assignment in Florida and we went there. I loved that high school, I had many friends and no judgement, and the community was great. My father was head of police on base, and also one of the varsity football coaches there and everyone knew my family and I felt more comfortable. We moved back to VA in 2007 and as an adult, I began seeing that the class system does not change just because you grow up. Every job I have had so far they all have groups and cliques and they put themselves in these classes. You have the upper class, the white collar folks, and then the lower class, or the bottom-feeders. We live in a class society where people fit in to different groups, and I do not think it will change.  I think social class matters in our society today, do I think it should? I do not, but I can not change it. People will climb that social ladder all their lives, and by one mistake they can be outcast I have seen it. Maybe one day, people will be treated equal but there's always going to be classification.

Crimes against Gays and Lesbians Blog-Week 5

I am directing my blog entry to the issue with crime against the homosexual community. This issue hits close to home because I have many close friends who happen to be gay. To me of course, my friends are normal human beings just as any of my other friends and no different. However, this is not the same to a lot of people in our society. I agree with the fact that because they love differently, close-minded individuals feel that this is wrong, immoral and should be punished. I have witnessed these horrible beatings, and have heard my friends stories on the physical and emotional abuse they have endured.

I wish that our society would stop caring so much about who people love, or their preferences because there are bigger issues in this world. The sad thing is, that most of the people who hate on homosexuals and accuse them of being wrong and immoral and disgusting, are the same people who are committing adultery, or theft in some way, or could be mean and hateful people, but to them that okay because they aren't gay. A lot of the hate comes from a lot of the Christian community who think and force the fact that it is  wrong to be gay.  I am Catholic, and can argue that it says nothing on the ten commandments  about being gay or not. I hope and pray that one day people open their minds and see people as they are, people. I will admit that we have come a very long way in our acceptance of all types of people and interests and I am very proud of my generation for creating a better more open place.

Nature vs Nurture

 I have been "people watching" for most of my life, because everyone is so different and work in their own ways. When it comes to the debate on nature vs nurture, I am 100% behind the nuture aspect. I feel that however one is raised and brought up, and whatever surroundings they grew up in plays a huge part in their lifestyle and how they carry themselves.

For example, my parents have raised me in a strict but caring and lesson teaching way. I had consequences when I made mistakes, and countless lectures. My father was in the military and my mother worked for the government, so needless to say I had to be on my best behavior. Whenever I went astray, I was put back in my place. My parents always had my best interest at heart and I soon realized this the older I got. Because of that I am respectful, caring, grounded adult.

My best friend however, has had a different upbringing. It is actually the complete opposite. Her parents were not always there, and there were alot of negative things involved. As she grew up, she became reckless, and irresponsible, and pretty much did her own thing even if it was wrong.

I do not believe that men are men, women are women, dogs are dogs and cats are cats. It has alot to do with who we grew up with, how we grew up, what we learn, how we feel, how influenced one is when it comes to social media, and tv, and music, and everything in our lives.

Stanford Prison Experiment

My thoughts on the Stanford Prison Experiment are actually a bit impartial. On one side I can see what they were trying to accomplish, and it wasn't physically hurting anybody. However, I do not believe in "psyching" people out because it mentally could hurt them. In this experiment, it has the person doing the simulated electro-shocking thinking they are harming one person. The reason I am impartial to this is because the person doing the shocking could just say they do not want to continue the experiment.

When I consider what year this was, I can't help but think that people in certain countries may be scared to go against orders. For example, those ordinary Germans during WWII may have felt and known that the mass exterminations were wrong, but may also have feared that saying or doing anything against orders could harm them or their families and so they stayed put out of fear.

I do not exactly know the full story of the Standford Prison Experiment, but based on what I have read in our book, these were my initial thoughts.

Sade's Introduction

Hello everyone,


Welcome to my blog! My name is Sade Sydney, and I am 24 years old living in Centreville, VA. I have a full time job at Lexus, and a part time job/internship with an event decorating company. I am also going to school part time pursuing my business management  degree in hopes to own my own event planning firm. I have wanted to plan events since I can remember, because I am an over-planner at everything that I do.

I am usually a busy person, but on my down time I mostly like to exercise, hang out at my house with my boyfriend and watch movies, football, etc, and also visit my family in Charlottesville.


After I graduate with my Business Management degree, I am not sure if I will go to another school, but if I do it will most likely be George Mason.

I am excited to take this course, and hope it will help me learn more in order to pursue my dream goal.