Barnga Blog

1. If you could describe the game in one work, what would it be?
1. frustrating
2. What did you expect at the beginning of the game?
1. That is was something to confuse us or make us mad at each other. 
3. When did you realize that something was wrong?
1. When I went to the next table and they weren't playing the same way as us. 
4. How did you deal with it?
1. I waited for them to let me know if I won.
5. How did not being able to speak contribute to what you were feeling?
1. It was frustrating when I went to the next table and I couldn't ask what they were doing.
6. Is my title above appropriate for the game of "culture". Why or why not? (it's all a game or sort of)
1. yes, you can tie pretty much anything into our culture.
7. Is a universal language and set of customs necessary for wold peace and harmony?
1. Yes, it is hard to communicate when you don't understand what the other person is doing and you can't ask them.
8. What can a simple card game teach us about our culture?
1. That we get angry at each other for the smallest things, it's hard to communicate without all talking the same or knowing what the other person means. 

Radical Experiment

Starting out in the video, it was super confusing and I had no idea what he was getting to or what the point of the video was. I eventually started to realize that he was talking about how countries feel because of what other countries do to them. For example, when he talked about how China came over in search of coal and shipped it back to China and became wealthy, while back over in the United States we were all in poverty and despair. The whole point is basically empathy. You need to put yourself in someone else's shoes and see things from their point of view. I really started to understand it when he started talking about Arab-Muslims. It is the same thing with oil in their country like it was with coal and our country. They are in need in another country's resources that they can't get so their country goes down hill because they can't get it. Like with the United States, we needed coal but China took it so our country went down hill. It's all about empathy, sometimes it is hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes though. The quote, "One country's terrorist is another country's freedom fighter", I really agree with that. The United States military is going to other country's for wars and to that country we are the terrorist but we think it's okay because those people are fighting for our country's freedom then whenever someone comes to the United States and sets off bombs or whatever we consider them a terrorist; however they are just doing the same things we do, trying to fight for their country. It is sometimes really hard for me anyway, to put myself in another person's place and that's something I need to work on. The best example I can think of is with my siblings and the rest of my family. The frustrate me and anger me easily and I probably don't handle it in the best way, which instead I should think of how they feel and understand from their perspective. Lastly, I see myself fitting into society by just being a helpful person and being there for people.

Freaks and Geeks

1. Thoughts and ideas from pilot episode

            a. I thought this was a really good show to show us the different sociological perspectives in real life. 

            b. Functional Theory: Lindsay's relationship with the "popular kids" Conflit Theory: Jeff making Lindsay join the math group or get a punishment. Symbolic Interactionism: Lindsay's army jacket

2. What are the groups and what functions do they serve? Are there negative influences from any of the groups (dysfunctions)?

a. Nerds, bullies, populars, smart kids. They help us understand how the different sociological perspectives happen in life. I think the popular kids have a negative influence because everyone thought they were cool and Lindsay wanted to be like them and she kind of drifted away from the people who actually cared about her. 

3. Who has the power in the episode? How or why do they have power? How do they use it?

            a. I think the counselor, Jeff, has the power because he is trying to help Lindsay make better choices, basically about who she is hanging out with. He uses the power by holding a punishment over her when she skipped school

4. What are the important symbols in the episode? Note that they symbols might be an object, but also might be an idea, and event or something else. How do the characters act based on the symbols they find important?

           a. Lindsay's army jacket is one of the symbols in the episode. She is always wearing it so it symbolizes her character and who she is as a person, rebellious. That's how she acts too, she rebels against her parents

5. Can you relate any of these theories to your own life? How can the things you do be interpreted through one of these theories?

           a. Yes, mostly the conflict theory because i am always conflicted with myself between decision. But also the functional theory because the decisions I make can also affect the rest of society.