"Shift Happens"

This final week in sociology, we looked at globalization. We watched a movie called "Shift Happens," which talked about how technology had been being advances into our lives, and the many differences and advancements it had brought that we wouldn't have possibly thought about, even in our wildest imaginations. Technology and new issues that happen worldwide allow for more opportunities to be brought to the people which were never offered before, neither thought about. As societies and the world advances, to keep ahead and to stay strong and motivated, our school systems should be more diverse in the subjects that are brought forward for students to take.  International learning and education about different cultures allows students to be more aware of who the real world is and as well, helps students/ people to be more understanding that people live in many ways and forms which must be respected by all. Changes in information processing has been changing very rapidly. Technologies are widely spread out for more users to be able to take the advancement of technology at low prices. We have the capabilities to advance and for more people to stay in touch, which in the end helps the world become unified, not in the means that everyone thinks the same, but everyone understands. Culture has helped me understand the movie a lot. In the book, they discuss who in different countries, such as the middle east, "western barbie dolls" are not allowed, and they have their own barbie which allows kids to have their childhood fun, while still respecting the religion or way of life. Technology allows entrepreneurs to better understand the world and prevent from problems to happen and a market to be produced where everyone is involved and everyone can get their benefits, needs, and wants.

Urban/Suburban/Rural Life

Since I was born, I have been raised in the same house. The city in which my family and I live has been chaining dramatically over time.  I have seen the population increase all the way to new and more advanced ways of life. Clear open land with trees got replaced with hotels and shopping centers. The population has been very diverse way before I was born. More jobs were offered here because it is a close and inexpensive city to start a family with good financial stability. After being over populated, and high demand, land was bought to create huge multi-family apartments which led to more schools and jobs. As the standard of living got inexpensive, more people started moving into this city, which cause violence as well. I remember in middle school, gang violence was heavily feared and the city enforced and strengthened their force to help control violence, and make this city more cleaner and safer. This city is very clean, and really takes pride of those who live here. Making sure that this city looked nice, the mayor spent a lot of tax money to improve side walks, roads, and utilities were improved. As the population increased, more provisions were made from government input in the community to school and other improved and upgraded facilities for all. I have seen this city become more adverse and expanding as the years go on.

Understanding Our Political System

Looking at democracy and how our government and the people work together to make the U.S. a better place is really remarkable. We have government which helps take care of the people, and the people give their input to the government to see how rules are and whether or not they should be kept or not. Our government is pretty remarkable. Rules are not made unless they are need by the people. If laws have problems, than they can be taken away or amended to fit the terms of the people of this county and the government. This allows things to be smooth, and when they aren't, we the people have the right to raise our voice and tell how we feel about issues.

What helps keep our nation together and power in democracy are laws. When we think of powers in a democratic nation, we see that the people are a power and so is government. What keeps these powers welded together to prevent any problems. I work on cars, and when you weld metal, you put two pieces of metal and make them one, and the only way welding works is if they are equal. Laws help establish and help the power in our nation to be given equally, so the people can decide who can help them be more efficient. That is what government is, its a system that helps the common people become efficient and to solve problems. Our government has to listen to our problems and help resolve them and make sure that it never comes up again.

Laws are made and they are changed. We have a ratification process which allow amendments and laws to be ratified or changed. This process allows the government and the people to work better hand in hand and allows the nation to run smoothly without problems. We see problems in our government when their are differences which cause riots and people to fight for their rights. The people of this nation have freedom and the government does too. Freedom allows their to be equality and not indifferences and problems.

Is Walmart Good for America?

Getting to look at work and the economy this week for sociology, many things come to mind of how things I read related to my work and how everything balanced out and how there was a cycle of the economy. We got the chance to look at Wal-Mart, not just the floor where more than hundred thousand products where available to the common family/individual, but we got to see how Wal-Mart ran business and how it managed to offer great incentives, deals, and low prices while its competitors were held by barriers that couldn't allow them to ever go near Wal-Mart’s low prices without think about what great loses they would incur. The question comes down to whether or not Wal-Mart is good or bad for the U.S. In the movie about Wal-Mart, we got to see the effects of business and how Wal-Mart "bullied" in the words of companies that supplied Wal-Mart with goods said when they were ignored and pressured to lower their prices. I think Wal-Mart is good for the common family/individual, but one thing to look at is that so many companies are shut down because they can't sell because they don't to lower their prices, which causes Wal-Mart to think of taking their products of the shelves. Companies have shown in the past to go out of business because their profit was decreasing because Wal-Mart wouldn't decrease the price of the product the company sold to Wal-Mart because their cost to manufacture that product has increased, thus they would need a price increase to cover production cost as well as profit margin. Wal-Mart wants their prices to be low, and have special techniques to making their prices seem low, which stated in the video, sometimes just aren't. Over all, Wal-Mart is good. It allows the weaker companies to rethink how they need to do business and lets the strong companies stay in business. Wal-Mart dominates in retail chain store industries. They have gone worldwide, and have found ways to decrease price, and have allowed people to live a better standard of physical living by providing low prices on products and services (Automotive, i.e. Oil Changes; Pharmacy; Eye Care). They provide low prices and jobs which in the end help our economy. Sure companies shut down because of their practices, but they allow stronger companies to be formed and companies to make better relations with Wal-Mart and for companies to look for smarter and cheaper resources that have stability and won’t increase price over time. Wal-Mart is good for America. It not only helps the common family/ individual, but helps our economy by providing jobs and a market to new products.

ps. did anyone else see the Wal-Mart cheer? love the squiggly line

The Domestic Division of Labor

Growing up and seeing how my family and I have evolved from chores and responsibilities over the years, shows how the "division of labor" in a family changes over times and need. I filled out the chart, and also saw how some of the descriptions shown didn't correspond to our family now, but back in the day, my parents would have to do those things. Many of things get changed in my family, everyone has responsibilities from who does what and what is expected from each family member, but if one can't put in their part, someone else will always come in and help out. 


When I was filling out a Family Duties table, I saw that many of the duties/responsibilities had more than one person assigned to them, because in our family their has never been chores or responsibilities assigned, we all knew that these had to be taken care of and we did, but that doesn't mean we just did what ever we wanted to do, we would tell everyone in the house and tell them that we were going to do and ask if someone else was going to do it and if we needed help too. Communication in our family is essential, along with every family. I have seen this countless times, when communication sucks, problems occur. So we cherish being able to talk and discuss matter and situations. 


I do agree, some of the things in families are left to certain people. For example, cooking, my dad is horrible at cooking (just in case he reads this, no offense pops). My mom always cooks, and everyone loves it. In a good family, one task isn't left for one person to do. We all work on it together as a team and not as captains of project managers. A family is supposed to run as one, and never as individuals. Helping my sister and I, our parents always worked together to help us with homework. My dad was good at math so he helped us with that, and my mom was very good and helpful when working punctuation and grammar, so she helped a lot with that. We would work in such a way that we were efficient with time. We got our family time by working on math problems and having a laugh at how I would make 5-3= 1. Being time efficient is something every family needs to be. Managing time for each and every individual and making sure the bonds in families are very important, even if it means only spending a few minutes, well its better than nothing.

With my family, I have learn't a lot abotu how duties are supposed to be given out and how a family is supposed to behave and cooperate. Helping one another with a duty and responibility is what makes families strong and close. I know some will argue that you don't become independent, but hey, your supposed to dependent on your loved ones and family.

Religion and Government

In my opinion, religion has no role in government. If we look at the United States as an example, having one religion and the concepts of that religion run the aspects of a muti-cultural and multi-religion nation, then it wouldn't relate to many lives and just wouldn't be efficient.  Life wouldn't be the same if religion had a role in government. People wouldn't feel that they have an equal right knowing that the land of the free has a religion that has an influence on government. The people wouldn't have a sense of security knowing that the government will help them and not favor a particular religion over another. Religion is based on beliefs, and not all religions have beliefs that correlate with one another. Government is supposed to be free of beliefs of a particular group or religion, and should just be the voice of the people and what helps keep peace, and not something that bring's its citizens, its people pain and insecurity.


We can also look at other nations, whose government is already intervened with religion, and we see the outcomes of those nations. More insecurities and more chances of people going against their religion because of certain beliefs. Government isn't meant to have religion influences, but it should maintain a tolerance and assist people to better follow their religion knowing that the government will never have anything to do with their beliefs and won't try to change them. 


Government has evolved over time. We can see from the colonizations of the states, that people fled from the government because of religion based persecutions such as the one caused by the notorious Queen Marry or better known as "Bloody Merry." Government can start with a small amounts of influence and role of government, but it would start growing and growing, cause religion is beliefs that help live and put lives on a better more focused path towards their enlightenment, and a way of life could just become the dominant religion and cause insecurities and indifferences for the people of that nation. 

Internment of Japanese Americans

This week in class we had to read about a Japanese family who was sent to camps because of their ethnicity. Their were generations who were well established in America and were sent to camps and were mistreated because of their beliefs and their thoughts, and more importantly because of their looks. The family had not committed any crime but were sent to these camps because they were suspected of plotting to bring terror to the United States after the attack on Pearl Harbor. This kind of treatment and segregation because of the way one looks was completely wrong by United State's part. I understand that when as a nation we are at war, their maybe this suspicion looking at one's neighbor and wondering if they think wrong and would harm this nation. People have to see how bad that it. I am a Sikh. My religion says that I should keep a identity without cutting my hair and wearing a turban. After the attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon, a lot of people thought of me as a muslim extremist. Just because of my identity, people looked at me wrong and people I considered friends, ended up judging me. I was in 5th grade when it happened, and I remember how we got news of what happened, and after they found out who was behind it all, people judged me along with many other Sikhs just because of our identity, and because they just couldn't take it, they would cut their hair and try to loose and disconnect themselves with their roots and religion. Sikhism is a worldwide religion and not restricted to one place. I never knew why people didn't know the difference, between us and them. Our beliefs were different and how we lived was a beyond different. I understand how they might have felt. With such discrimination, they had to go to camps and face segregation from the rest of the world and some had to stay away from their families. It just hurts that such a strong nation still has these problems, but they are getting better and people are being smarter to learn of one another and not be arrogant, or seeming arrogant because the lack of knowledge.