Response to gender inequality

Having written my research paper, it has really opened my eyes to the gender inequalities happening around the world. Though much progress has been made, it amazes me that it is still relevant today. Women are hugely impacted by gender inequality, therefore clearly needs to be addressed. A common place where gender inequality persist, is the workplace, home, and school. In the workplace, women encounter the phenomenon of the glass ceiling. Also a gender cap still occurs. In the workplace women are subjected to domestic and service sectors. Reading one of the articles made me realize that women do not choose to make less than men, that gender discrimination is the source of inequality. Women have also become targets of violence. They also encounter unequal treatment in education.  

How Are Women Impacted By Gender Inequality?

Apparent today and across the globe is the inequality between men and women in terms of wealth, income, and status, termed gender inequality. However, women or so it seems are affected by gender inequalities more so that men. For centuries, women have been common victims of gender inequality, fighting to eradicate differences between them and their male counterparts. Women experience gender inequalities everywhere they turn, whether it is in the workplace, home, or school. Also, women tend to be targets of sexual violence. Gender inequalities have definitely made a huge impact on the lives of women.

Furthermore, serving as an example of gender inequalities is the work setting. Women have difficulty climbing the job ladder, in contrast men have it easy. While women have to break the glass ceiling, men can just cruise through by the glass escalator. It is apparent that the glass ceiling is hindering females on their way to the top but for men the glass escalator allows them to smoothly transition to the top without even a struggle. This invisible barrier prevents women from attaining higher paying leadership positions in the business world. Although much progress has been made, men still occupy the majority of the companies highest levels of leadership, according to the article “What Policies Would Promote Social Justice for Women?”. In a female dominated profession, males are thrusted into executive roles whether they want it or not, just because they are men. In addition most women have to ask for a raise, when men just get it handed to them without even asking. This could be because women are seen as likely to interrupt their careers to car for young children, no matter how senior a position they might have reached therefore are disadvantaged, compared with men, in their career opportunities. As far as the politics go, women are far from achieving equality. Men outnumber women in politics at all levels.

Some theorist have posited that women's earnings remain lower than men's because of choices that they make in the workplace, however gender discrimination is the source for the inequality. As long as this gap persists, women, society, and especially children will lose out on opportunities for growth and success. Among all the working age adults, the gap is considerably wider, women's income is less than half men's. One view suggested by the author Stephanie Seguino of “Women Do Not Choose to Make Less Than Men” is that women choose to enter “female” occupation that are lower paid and require less skill and time commitment in order to care for children. Others say the wide sex gap in pay is due to policies and social institutions, which confine women to jobs characterized by low wages, little mobility, and limited prestige. Employers and male employees are seen as actively discriminating against women, who are denied promotion and training opportunities that men have. A large part of the wage gap is discriminatory, and only a part is due to differences in male and female occupations and women's greater time off of care for children and the elderly. A common phenomena is that women and men are segregated in different jobs, making wage discrimination less obvious. Less noticeable is that even if job's don't seem segregated, most top jobs are given to men. This tells us the barriers many women face in moving up the job ladder, and the reprisals they face it they challenge the gender hierarchy that keeps them at the bottom. Ultimately, many women accept the status quo, but one cannot call that choice, acquiescence would be a better description emphasizes author of “Women Do Not Choose to Make Less Than Men”, Stephanie Seguino. It indicates that that at least part of the earnings gap between men and women is due to discrimination, the perpetuation of gender norms that suggest women belong at the bottom of the hierarchy. Some believe women's wages are lower because they prefer jobs that are give them flexible work schedule to be home with the kids part of the time. Wage gaps are the result of gender hierarchies that play out at various levels of society, and are so embedded, we are often blind to the processes that lead to this inequality. Blaming women's childcare responsibilities for their low wages suggest women are victims of choice.

Most women nowadays are stuck with jobs that have been subjected to domestic and service sector such as maids, nannies, teachers, because it is thought to be more naturally fitting. These jobs is an example of gender-typing, designation of occupations as male or female, with women occupations such as secretarial and retail positions, having lower status and pay, and men's occupations, such as managerial and professional positions, having higher status and pay. There are three possible reasons as to why women were underrepresented in the science and engineering fields. One reason is women often desire to focus on family instead of work. The small number of women in the scientific fields could be explained by the innate difference between the capabilities of men and women, which is highly controversial and indicative of gender bias. Our society has failed to develop policies so that women can attain economic equality and independence. Gender gap pays are a problem for the many women whose life choices are limited and who find it difficult to exit painful relationships because of inadequate income. Many qualified women fail to get jobs they deserve that instead go to unqualified men. Discriminatory pay gaps leave women in precarious financial straits and contribute to children's poverty.

Arguably, some women don't even get the chance to work because they have to stay home to take care of the children while the men work to earn the money, often looked at as the breadwinner. But the fact is women often take care of the kids because men frequently do not. Moreover, household work is exchanged for economic support because women earn less than men, they are more likely to remain economically dependent on their husbands and thus perform the bulk of the housework. Until the earnings gaps is narrowed, women will likely remain in their dependent positions.

Also, in the workplace or anywhere for that matter, we rarely see men as victims of sexual harassment or rape. It is highly uncommon for a males to become victims of sexual violence, virtually all rapes are committed by men against women. Scholars claim that men are socialized to regard women as sex objects, to feel a sense of sexual entitlement, and to instill fear in women by dominating them. In the household the spousal abuse also usually stems from the males towards the females. Women as well are victims of sex trafficking, or forced into prostitution, a reason for that is poverty and gender inequality promote prostitution. Many women and young girls have no choice but to become prostitutes. When families are too poor to make ends meet, girls are often forced to trade sex for much needed money. Rather than punish young girls who have become prostitutes, nations worldwide should eliminate the root causes of prostitution: poverty and gender inequalities, advices the article "Poverty and Gender Inequality Promote Prostitution.” Within every unit, that of family, community, and section, the weakest and the most vulnerable are women and girl children due to their life long deprivation in education, protection, shelter, skill learning and development, access to resources and rights. Thus globalization and gender prejudice in patriarchy make the girl fall as the first victim in every vulnerable family. Another example is female graduates go about struggling to get jobs only for them to be told that they have to go to bed with the directors of such companies before they could secure appointments. Some others get jobs with these new generation banks only to be told they have to employ their bodies for marketing in order to win rich clients/customers.

The continuing presence of discrimination in academic is another cause of gender inequality. There have been many reports of women encountering a glass ceiling in the academic setting as well. In school, boys received more teacher attention and instructional time than girls do, due to the fact that boys were more demanding than girls. Boys were eight times more likely to call our answers in class, thus grabbing the teachers attention. Research shows that even when boys did not voluntarily participate in class, teachers were more likely to solicit information from them than from girls. However, when girls tried to bring attention to themselves by calling out in class without raising their hand they were reprimanded. One could also argue that women have been shunned out of many fields and higher education. Gender discrimination restricts achievement in the academic sphere. 

The global gender gap in education attainment, workforce participation, and political representation has narrowed in the recent years. Still, people around the world say gender inequalities persist in their countries and that more changes are needed to ensure that women have the same rights as men. In particular, many, especially in wealthy nations, say that men receive more job opportunities than equally qualified women and that life is generally better for men than it is more women in their countries. In addition to the general concept of equal rights, people around the world also tend to believe that women should have educational and economic opportunities similar to those of men. A study done by the Pew Research Center presents that majorities in all 22 nations agree that women should be able to work outside of the home. Moreover, publics in nearly in every country surveyed say a marriage where both husband and wife haves jobs and take care of the home is more satisfying than one where the husband provides financially while the wife cares for the household. However, support for women working outside the home and a preference for a more egalitarian approach to marriage do not necessarily mean that people think women should always have the same employment opportunities as men. Indeed, in half the countries polled, most people believe that when jobs are scarce, men should have more a rights to jobs than women. On the issue of whether women and men should have the same right to a job when few jobs are to be found, respondents with higher incomes and more education are often more likely to embrace the view that women should have equal opportunities. Surveys findings show that countries with greater support for equality also tend to have fewer gender disparities. However, in the wealthier countries surveyed, particularly in the United States and Western Europe, large majorities believe in equality and very few say that men should get preferential treatment in the job markets. Nearly everywhere, majorities believe that women should have the same rights as men, there is broad support for women working outside the home, and the notion that a college education is more important for boys than it is for girls is widely rejected. Yet, the survey also suggests that general support for equality does not always translate into support for equality in special circumstances. In particular, many still say that when economic times are tough, men should have more of a right to a job than women.

It is in fact, gender inequalities that hinder women from moving beyond what they are capable of achieving. Though women for centuries have taken a stance against this on going inequality in society, few people actually stood up to fervently fight for a total eradication of gender bias in the society. Perhaps, due to the fact that public still adhere to the archaic view that men are superior to women both physically and intellectually. Or possibly that, society is scared of changes in the social system, being that it would be is taken charge of by women.

Functionalist Theory seen in “The Code of the Streets”

Crime and Deviance are infamously recognized as elements of society. However, motives for why people commit crime and deviance vary widely. Four sociological approaches have been developed to interpret and analyze deviance: functionalist theories, reinforcement theories, conflict theories, and interactionist theories. While these four theories have contributed greatly to explaining why crime exist, the most prominent theory seen in Elijah Anderson's “The Code of the Streets” is the functionalist theory.

Functionalist see crime and deviance resulting from structural tensions and a lack of moral regulation within society. This idea is in fact valid in Elijah Anderson's “The Code of the Streets”

where crime and deviance arises from tensions in social structures. In “The Code of the Streets” it is said that “the inclination to violence springs from the circumstances of life among the ghetto poor—the lack of jobs that pay a living wage, the stigma of race, the fallout from rampant drug use and drug trafficking, and the resulting alienation and lack of hope for the future.” With that said it is hard for one not to get involved with crime and deviance due to economic inequalities. Those of the lower class are at a disadvantage since its hard for them to go to school to get a higher education, which can potentially lead to a great job. So given the situation they are in, where there is great pressure to try to get ahead by any means, they resort to breaking the law to get what they want, for example dropping out of school to sell drugs on the streets, instead of working a low wage job.

In addition, deviance rates tend to be low when cultural norms are relatively clear-cut and consistent with the structure of statuses and roles in society. This is why police play a necessary role in society, as they keep check on deviance and ultimately protect the law and order. In “The Code of the Streets” where there is “a profound lack of faith in the police and judicial system. The police are most often seen as representing the dominant white society and not caring to protect inner-city residents.” If members of the community had more trust in police, they would not feel the need to take extra ordinary measures to defend themselves and their loved ones.

Moreover, Merton introduced the idea of five possible reactions to the tensions of an unstable society, which people respond to cultural goals, them being: conformity, innovation, ritualism, and retreat-ism. By conforming, which the majority of the population tend to do, one accepts both societal values and the conventional means of realizing them, whether or not they meet with success. The path taken by those who are most vulnerable in society, is often innovation, rejecting the normative means and turning to deviant means. Falling in this category is the lives of street-oriented people, which “are often marked by disorganization. In the most desperate circumstances people frequently have a limited understanding of priorities and consequences, and so frustration mount over bills, foods, and at times, drink, cigarettes, and drugs. Some tend to toward self destructive behavior; many street-oriented women are crack addicted, alcoholic, or involved in in complicated relationships with men who abuse them.” On the other hand, ritualist conform to socially accepted standards but abandon the common cultural goals, such as a person who might dedicate herself to a boring job, although it provides no career prospects and few rewards. Retreatists, usually consisting of dropouts and alcoholics, reject both the dominant values and the approved means of achieving them, therefore are unable to achieve success.

Furthermore, functionalist explained the idea of subcultural groups. According to Albert Cohen, “boys in the lower working class who are frustrated with their positions in life often join together in delinquent subcultures, such as gangs.” Since the actions they commit are considered normal in their subculture, it makes it easy for one to conform to the values and rules of deviant subculture. This is evident in most poor inner-city black community those similar to the one mentioned in “The Code of the Streets” where the youths stick together and often commit delinquent acts. It is believed that gangs arise in communities where the chances of achieving success are legitimately slim, and perhaps the feeling of hopelessness and alienation may also be a reason why they engage in crimes. Thou they try hard to be a part of the mainstream culture, the tensions in social structures make it difficult for them to get by, so instead they adopt the street behavior. Members of subcultural groups find it as a way to cope with shared problems like being socially accepted. Therefore, there is a strong correlation between material deprivation and lack of opportunities with people who commit crime.

The functionalist theory thoroughly demonstrates why the lower class is more inclined to commit crime and deviance. Interestingly, Elijah Anderson's “The Code of the Streets” coincides with the functionalist theory, touching on the fact that majorities of gangs formed consist of minorities. This insight led me to assume that an african american adolescence living in the same circumstances of that of a caucasian is less likely to be affiliated with a gang subculture  

Response to Juvenile System vs. Adult Prison

What I learned in this unit or at least my perspective on Juveniles being tried as adult is that before judging whether or not we send a delinquent into we adult prison we must take into account their backgrounds or environment they came from. After reading the book I was able to understand the juvenile system better, and how it would have more of an impact on the juvenile offenders than adult prison, reasoning being, while serving their time in the juvenile system they have the opportunity to receive rehabilitation and by going straight to prison their chances of hope are little.

I thought reading and being able to understand the material was critical in order to write this particular essay because at some point before you write this essay you have to take a stance on which side you stand on, whether it be your for trying adults or the opposite. After determining which side you stand on, for me it was easy because I was able to provides reason why I believed rehabilitation was necessary for the juveniles.

Juvenile System vs. Adult Prison

Trying juveniles as adults has become a prominent issue in society due to an increase of minors being treated as adults in the legal court system. Mark Salzman's book, “True Notebook”, lets its readers explore the minds of the delinquents in Juvenile hall who have been determined to serve sentences in adult prison. From the book's perspective, it seems as if juvenile offenders benefit more in the juvenile system than they would in adult prison. In the juvenile system, rehabilitation is provided to help address the issues that led to legal misconduct. I fully agree that it is critical for these adolescents to have some sort of recovery opportunity. Without this aid, it's as if we are “throwing away their lives and giving up all hope for their future” according to Kweisi Mfume, “New Report Finds Growing Trend of Prosecuting Youth in Adult Court Casting Too Wide a Net; Many Youth Charged with Non-Violent Offenses”. In other words, by not offering some form of rehabilitation, we're refusing these young individuals a second chance. More often then not, unfortunate personal backgrounds greatly contribute to involvement in illegal activities; it's almost cruel to deny these misguided minors a chance to start over.

Before charging these offenders with severe punishments, personal backgrounds and, in a lot of cases, minority upbringings should be taken into consideration because these aspects of primary

socialization are key to an individual's livelihood. Statistically, most of the juveniles come from a broken family or no family, a topic widely discussed in Mark's writing class. As one student wrote, “They don't know what it's like when you come from a family that didn't have a father there to guide you in the right path” (29). When no role model is present, young people are likely to turn to the streets and join gangs. It is evident that parents play a vital role in their children's lives. Steve also mentioned that a particular girl looked up to him as a father figure because she lacked a stable man in her life. Never having that male figure, she confided in him and found the support she'd been seeking her entire life. It's undeniable that such children living in harsh environments are more prone to joining gangs and committing crimes simply because they're looking for a sort of support system and a place to belong, even if these organizations their activities aren't ideal. A student in Mark's class, Patrick, stated that “I felt different. I was from a gang now. I felt like I had power” (94). Joining a gang gave him the feeling of self worth that no one had given him before and gave him a sense of power which gained him respect from others. Also, some of the children saw the juvenile system as a better place to be than home itself. Victor who grew up in a poor family recalled often coming home from school with nothing to eat acknowledging that at least people in the juvenile system get fed. In an interview with Mitchell Steven, he stated the same fact, “that while maybe some of us have the assumption that these kids might not want to be there and feel pity for them it's just the opposite that these kids would rather be there than home … that they are happy to be their because now they are safe, its not as bad as you think, you've got somebody who cares about her. She's got the clothes and attention that an eleven year old needs.” In certain cases, offenders continue acting out in hopes to maintain residence in the hall. They believe that life behind bars is better than their home outside of them. Steve has experienced many cases where minors would rather serve there time in the juvenile system than on house arrest; their home issues are likely what led them to criminal behavior in the first place.

Though the public may see the juvenile system as a punishment for delinquents, the individuals in the hall often see it as a reward. Beneficial resources and programs such as schooling, mediation, church, writing class, mental and medical health are all offered through the juvenile system, a lot of which the residents haven't had the luxury of being exposed to before being sent to the hall. For example, Francisco, one of the students, was able to receive a high school diploma while serving his time at the juvenile system due to his trial being postponed. This achievement probably would not have been accomplished had he still been on the outs. Of course, all of Mark's students benefited from the writing class, seeing it as a venue to speak up and open their mind. The writing retreat was especially enjoyed, it was a day of personal freedom. There was a difference in the kids Mark taught, and those not fortunate enough to be a part of his class wanted to join in and eventually tried to experience it vicariously through others. Most of the students probably would not have interacted with each other if they were on the outs, but now they see one another as friends, better yet, a family. While serving their time in the system, some even claimed to have found God; faith gave them hope for a brighter future. The juvenile system also hosted activities like the Olympics in which the delinquents participated in and enjoyed. They take pride in competing in these annual events and see it as a day where they can forget about their troubles. Steve mentions that some kids prefer to stay at the hall until after the “Olympic” events even if they're suppose to be released beforehand. This supports the idea that providing troubled adolescents with a positive environment is more beneficial than punishing them. Sometimes that's all a kid needs, a bit of rejuvenation to get back on the right track and see life from a different, less awful perspective. Rehabilitation is a truly valuable, constructive mechanism that reminds juveniles that while some people focus on past mistakes, others are hopeful and confident in a better future. The positivity and encouragement provided in the juvenile system is essentially what delinquents need and is not found in adult prison.

When sent straight to adult prison, these individuals do not get the same rehabilitative opportunities. It is unfair for the legal system to try them as adults when they have been living their entire childhood figuratively behind bars. I feel it's important that these adolescents be at least introduced to some of the programs that the juvenile system has to offer; the consistent lack of safe and stable environments in their lives is likely to be their main issue and exposure to appropriate settings might be the perfect remedy to their criminal behavior. Denying these children a second chance and instantly throwing them in adult prison kills the little hope that some still hold. One of Mark's students wrote, “The people just think I am a piece of shit, but they never know I feel remorse. And I try to be a good person without my freedom, I am lonely. I need help. Sometimes I wonder how can I get my happiness without help?” (224). As told by Steven Mitchell in an interview, these delinquents want better for themselves which often involves getting a higher education, some even end up attending Foothill College. He ended the interview with a success story about a young man who served some time in the juvenile system, got his act together and went on to become student body president at Foothill College, commencement speaker at his graduation, and got a full ride scholarship to attend Columbia University where he fulfilled his dream of becoming an investment banker. Many of the students in Mark's class were reluctant to go to adult prison; they predicted it to be less beneficial than the juvenile system. Benny, one of the students, states his opinion on the matter, “Jail is not a place that makes a person rehabilitate. Jail is just a place that separates people... It doesn't teach a person anything” (291). Some juveniles fear the thought of being in the same pen as adults who have committed more serious crimes than themselves. If put in the same situation, I would be afraid as well; there have been numerous accounts of abuse in adult prison. Don't get me wrong, by no means do I think these delinquents should be rewarded or honored for their misdemeanors. Kwesi Mfume coincides by saying, “While we believe that youthful offenders must be held accountable for their actions, the fact that these youths are often housed with and exposed to adult offenders before and during their trials is troubling.” The idea of locking juveniles up in adult prison is not only disturbing to other Americans, but to international visitors as well.

Furthermore, Steve discusses the shock foreigners, Swedes in particular, experience when witnessing our legal system. The Swedish legal system is all about rehabilitation when it comes to juvenile crimes. In fact, Swedish criminals are given three strikes to get their act together and undergo extensive therapy while in the system so when released, they'll hopefully start off on a better path. The Swedes find it appalling that kids are put behind prison bars. They can't believe that these kids are locked up because where they're from, delinquents are given ten years to ponder their crimes and rehabilitate themselves so they can still have a successful future. Society can't expect or really hope for a positive future if they lock every kid up who commits misdemeanors. Troubled children deserve a chance to redeem themselves against their immature crimes which were likely influenced by unfortunate yet fated upbringings.

I personally do not agree with adolescent delinquents being tried as adults. I believe it is necessary for them to receive rehabilitation because being put in jail is a punishment, not a solution. The rehabilitating programs and resources offered by the juvenile system are beneficial for the juvenile offenders' physical and mental health. Rejuvenation of both is crucial for character building and developing hope for a brighter future.

Response to first out of class essay

From reading the book Farmworkers Daughter, I have learned that agents of socialization are important because it shapes an individuals identity. In the book we see how how major agents of socialization have influenced how the author sees herself and her identity. The author and I shared the same major agents of socialization such as family, school, peers, and media, which goes to show that major of socialization play a big role when forming your identity.

I have learned that in order to write a decent paper you have to provide examples from your personal experiences/life so that your paper can be have that unique touch. Also the flow of the essay will be better since you are able to connect/relate to the author if writing a compare and contrast essay. From writing the essay, I was able to get a sense of my identity since I now know how major agents of socialization have influenced me. As a reader it is important to annotate because it makes it easier when writing an essay to go back to the book and draw examples the author has provided. Also it is important to understand what the author is saying when reading. Critical thinking is needed when writing the essay because you have to think about what the author is trying to get across or his/her message. Sometimes you have to think out of the box in other to do so.  

The Shaping of Identity Through Agents of Socialization

Agents of socialization are vital as they shape our identity. Through primary socialization and secondary socialization we are able to go through the process of finding our identity. The book Farmworkers Daughters features agents of socialization such as family, school, peer relationships, and media, which I believe has shaped the identity of not only the author, Rose Guilbault, but also mine as well.

During primary socialization, which occurs in infancy and childhood, family becomes the main agent of socialization, therefore become our earliest influence. My parents had a huge influence on my identity, in the early stages of my life. My father being a hardworking and responsible man tried to instill the same values to me at a young age. He has taught to always take responsibility for my own actions, and that in order to get what I want, I would have to work hard. My dad was a strong father figure in my life, unlike Rose's biological father Tito who was “...away so much he was nothing more than a tall shadow in the doorway, an impatient voice in the dark.” Contrary to my dad, who was there throughout my childhood, Tito had little to do with Rose's childhood. Rose's dad often resented her, something I never felt with mine. However, Rose also had a another influential male figure in her life Jose her stepfather, who made up for her biological father who was always being gone. Also both our mothers played a significant role in our lives and identities. They fit the archetype nurturer, being that they were protective and thoughtful. They often provided us with useful and valuable advice when we needed it. Similar to Rose's mother, my mother was caring and supportive. While Rose's mother didn't encourage her going off to college, my mother supported my wanting to receive a higher education. I find it ambitious of Rose to pursue a college degree without her mothers support; contrarily, I do not know if I would have had the same courage to go against my mothers preference. Ultimately we had a great relationships with our parents. Family is important to socialization because the experience of the infant and young child is shaped more or less exclusively with in it.

As we progress later in life to secondary socialization, school becomes another important socializing agent. School as I see it is a stepping stone to a brighter future which I believe Rose would agree with. Rose did not want to be stuck in King City working lousy low wage jobs so instead she was determined to go to college and eventually become a journalist. With the help of mentors and teachers along the way she was able to make her dreams come true and was even fortunate enough to write a book about her life. Although there were some hardships along the way especially during her 4^th grade year, Rose persevered and even managed to learned a few things about herself. According to Rose, her 4^th grade teacher Mrs. Rojas, who set high standard for her students, gave her something more intangible, “the seed of self-worth, acceptance, and pride in who I was were planted so subtly that I didn't even realize they were growing until many years later, when I found them rooted inside.” Although not all teachers make a difference to in our lives, in Rose's experience with Mrs. Rojas she was able to get a sense of her identity, thou not realizing it from the start. I myself I want a bright future, which is why I am attending college. I started to care a great deal about school at an early age. My parents encouraged me to do well, which led me to always try my hardest even when it gets tough and to never give up. That is probably how I developed my mentality that is still with me today. I always strive to do well in school and put my best effort. I always focus on whatever I was doing and applied the skills I have learned. Also, school is often where peer groups are formed, therefore we socialize with those who share the same interest and appeal to us.

Since most individuals spend a great deal of their day at school they generally try appeal to the expectations of certain peer groups. When I moved to Alaska from California, I realized that I had a different taste in clothes and stuff as girls in Alaska. I remember sporting matching barbie shoes and backpack to my first day of second grade in Alaska. I recalled other girls whispering in each others ears about my outfit. I was certain it was not because they liked it but of course, I wanted to fit in so I hoped for the best. Rose also had a similar experience including barbies. One day when Mona suggested they bring their dolls to play at recess, Rose brought a stuffed old baby doll desperately wanting to fit in, but only to be criticized by her peers for not having a barbie. In a school setting, one usually tries to impress his or her peers. My aunt once quoted “tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are” and explained that it simply meant that the kind of personality you have will reflect on the kind of people you choose to be around and show the type of person you are. I definitely would agree that your peers define who you are to an extent. Because similar people go to the same places and do the same things. Why else would you be friends with them if you did not share the same interests. Also, the kind of people you surround your self with can change what your like, because we all know that peers have a significant amount of influence on you. So it goes with the saying as well, “birds of the same feathers flock together.” People tend to flock to people similar to them, and then pick up on/give off habits like their friends. Peers during the secondary socialization influence you much more than your parents do because you are with them much more than you are with your parents.

Another socializing agency is peer groups, which consist of individuals of similar age. Peer relationships have a significant effect even beyond childhood and adolescence. The peer groups importance in socialization is shaping the individuals' attitudes and behavior. When I moved from California to Alaska, I had to make new friends, which was hard at first. I did not know anyone but I wanted to fit in. I noticed girls were divided into cliques and would only socialized with people within their circle. I went through many groups before I finally found the one I had most in common with, which I still happened to be friends with today. Through common interests like sports and activities, it was easy to be friends with other girls on the team. Likewise, Rose had some trouble finding her niche. Living on the farm secluded from everyone else, it was hard for her to befriend others. She wanted to fit in and finally felt that sense of entitlement when she became friends with Judy and the rest of her friends, through a mutual interest the Beatles. When she found out that they were in a band called “Screamies” she also wanted to join the band. Rose also began to dressed like them and engaged in activities they did. However the girls grew apart and it wasn't long til she lost interest in them, mentioning “they were just like everyone else—small town girls, satisfied with small dreams.” Rose learns that although friends share the same interest, in order to find your identity you do not have be an exact replica of them and that it is okay to expect more of yourself and have bigger dreams or make other friends. Later she becomes friends with a different set of girls Karen and Erline.

An interesting and relatively new source of socialization is found through media. There is no doubt that media has big influence on our society today. Nowadays media through printed documents, television, and radio are a big deal and is used more then ever. Whether your watching the news on t.v. or simply watching your favorite t.v. show it is still influencing you in one way or the other. Same goes for the radio or music, it is not the genre that matter but how you interpret it or let it make a difference to your life. Rose and others around her were hugely influenced by television, music, and magazines. She often would watch her favorite shows on a daily basis and when she could not watch it at home she would often go to her neighbors or relatives house just so she would not miss it. She was obsessed and begged to borrow the t.v. set just to watch the Mickey Mouse Club. After an incident in which she borrow others t.v. Rose got yelled at by her mom and was told “Why you little pest! You can't bother people for their TVs!” In this scene it is apparent how media is influential to her identity. Rose goes on to explain that the first TV symbolized our connection to America, our new window to a new culture. Music as well was important to Rose, she was a huge fan of the Beatles and even made friends with other Beatle fans. Magazines such as the sears catalogs played a role in making them work hard for

what they wanted. The sears catalog included things which they envied, but could be bought with hard work. It symbolized a book that made them believe everything was reachable and theirs to have, just as it was for every other family in America. Similarly, the media has had the same affect on me. Watching my favorite shows on t.v. I take away stuff from the show and incorporate with myself if it relates, how I might act towards other people, their styles, and much more. Through music, me and my friends are able to have a good time in the car or wherever we are. From magazines, I able to know new trends in the fashion world, that might essentially influence me, or perhaps read about worldly issues going on in different countries because according to Mill's we should understand the time period in which we live in. Therefore media is another good source of finding ones identity.

With the help of agents of socialization along with personal experiences we acquire bits of our identity over our lifetime. Through these self discoveries we learn more about ourselves and ultimately express our individuality. The on going journey of exploring one selves is what makes life an interesting and worthwhile expedition.   

Response to first in class essay

What I have learned from the sociological text we have read is that identity is made up of multitude of concepts such as how we see ourselves in the eyes of others, who our earliest influences are, positive and negative reactions of others, and understanding the time period in which we live. Mead contributes to identity formation, the idea that when “he becomes an object to himself only by taking the attitudes of other individuals toward himself within a social environment or context of experience and behavior in which both he and they are involved.” By this we are able to examine ourselves from the perspective of others and base our identities off of their views. Also Mead and many other sociologist stress the importance of communication, since without language we would not have an identity because we would not able to interact with others. Another perspective from Luckmann and Berger is that the earliest influence on ones's identity is what or whom they are surrounded by during infancy, termed primary socialization and from that as we age, we advance to secondary socialization. From the textbook, I learned that positive and negative linguistic reactions of authoritative individuals, and peers, along with particular social environments act as guidelines for identity. Through experience and maturity, we tend to realize that our identities usually depend partly on circumstances and what individuals are present and what is appropriate in particular situations. Throughout the five stages of life—child hood, teenager, young adulthood, midlife, and lastly old age—our social perceptive's change and therefore, encourage us to identify with new and different concepts as we age. Mill's emphasizes the importance of being able to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. As a result, one can not understand their life as an individual without understanding the history of society. It is within the intricate connection of world history and patterns of our lives that we find our identity. In conclusion, there is not just one key aspect that forms identity.

I have learned that in order to accomplish the task given to you, one has to know what is expected of from you. I believe that is why I was satisfied with my score on the first essay because I incorporated what was asked of me, I read the rubric, knew the prompt beforehand and came prepared with an outline the day of the in class essay. I think that as a writer it is vital that know how to project your thoughts into the essay which is one of my weaknesses as a writer, so knowing the prompt was an advantage, being I was able to organize exactly how I wanted to write my essay beforehand. As a reader I learned that when I am engaged with the reading I am able to understand the material better, and therefore allows me to draw from the reading and integrate into an essay properly. I also noticed that when I give explanations and examples it makes it easier to get my thoughts across and hopefully also makes it easier for the reader to fully understand what I am saying. When reading if I do not understand something I tend to reread it or skim through what I read before I came across what I did not understand, which usually helps. Also annotating the text was helpful because I did not have to look too hard the second time around when I needed a quote or something to that extent. As a critical thinker when I have a question, I try to ask myself how the author would answer the question, and also use what was provided in the text to see if my conclusion was logical. Or I think to myself is that what the author wants to me to think, if so I try to put myself into the authors shoes.  

Socialization and Identity

According to Mead we essentially identify ourselves with how others see us. Mead goes on to say “For he enters his own experience as a self or individual, not directly or immediately, not by becoming a subject to himself, but only in so far as he first becomes an object to himself just as other

individuals are object to him or in his experience; and he becomes an object to himself only by taking the attitudes of other individuals toward himself within a social environment or context of experience and behavior in which both he and they are involved”. This is the idea, that we see ourselves in the eyes

of other people and ultimately view ourselves as objects. For instance if a peer saw me as a genuinely good person, I to should see myself that way or if I was seen a someone who is dishonest then I should identify myself as being a dishonest person. Our perspective of ourselves is reflective upon what others identify us being. Also, Mead stresses on the importance of communication because without language we do not have an identity, since identity is a key component of how we interact with one another. Moreover, he sees the self as something which develops over time and is not initially there at birth, but arises in the process of personal experiences, which agrees with Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann's theory of “Socialization: The Internalization of Society”.

Furthermore, the earliest influence on ones identity is what or whom they are influenced by, in most cases their family. This is where primary socialization plays a role, primary socialization is the first socialization an individual undergoes in childhood through which he becomes a member of society and seen as the most important one for an individual. In the early stages of our lives our significant others are in charge of our socialization, therefore our identity is shaped to their liking. As infants we develop as social beings by imitating the actions of those around us and making them into our own. Similar to Meads idea that we see ourselves in the eyes of other people, Berger and Luckmann tells us “the self is a reflected entity, reflecting the attitudes first taken by significant others toward it; the individual becomes what he is addressed as by his significant others”. The main difference between the two is that Luckmann and Berger are saying our first world (primary socialization) is constructed by our very first significant others therefore having a bigger impact on our identity since they have been there from the start, which makes primary socialization that much more important since is it the basic structure or all secondary socialization. Again, Berger and Luckmann mention how the idea of language is a crucial part to understanding ones identity.

In addition positive and negative reactions of authoritative individuals and peers, along with social environment help act as guidelines for identity. There are many agents of socialization, groups or social contexts within which processes of socialization take place, such as family, friends, school, peer relationships, mass media, work. Family is usually the main agent during primary socialization. Later schools, peer groups, media, and work become socializing forces for individuals. Another perspective on identity is that it is strongly influenced by that particular environment. For example, in school an adolescent would be identified as a student, at practice as an athlete, and so on. We act to appeal to a certain situation. Through the process of socialization individuals learn about social roles. Children learn gender roles through reaction of parents and adults, gender learning, storybook and television. Throughout the five stages of life- childhood, teenager, young adulthood, midlife, and lastly old age our social perspective changes therefore molding us into different identities as we age. For this reason it is critical to recognize history as it changes.

Lastly, by understanding our time period, we can discover what our possibilities and opportunities are within our lifetime and experiences within that to find who we are. Mills emphasizes the importance of being able to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society, in order to fathom that “the individual can understand her own experience and gauge her own fate only by locating herself within her period, that she can know her own chances in life by becoming aware of those of all individuals in her circumstances”. As a result, one can not understand its life as an individual without understanding the history of society. It is within the intricate connection of world history and patterns of our lives that we find our identity.

In conclusion there it is not just one thing in general that forms our identity but a contribution of multitude ideas, them being identifying ourselves with how others see us, who are earliest influences are, positive and negative reactions of others, and ultimately understanding the time period which we are in.