blog 6

     For my next project, I think I am going to write about hipsters.  There is a lot of speculation as to who they are, but I would like to get to the bottom of it.  I think I could make an entertaining and accurate paper.   I assume I will do a considerable amount of reading/observing.  I think I will read a lot about them on blogs (hispter) and probably in on social media.  I am excited for this paper-- if you allow it. 

Blog 5

Reading about social construction gave me perspective into all of the subliminal cues we can pick up on to classify someone else.  I think people are very concerned with being able to fit others into a definable category.  Although I think it is absurd, it is the world we live.  As Hanfler addresses, “A person who has a strong bond to society and has little reason to break the rules will be dissuaded from deviance.”  This is where the idea of normalcy comes into play.  Although the rules aren’t explicit, one can easily distinguish “normal” from “abnormal.”  However, all the time, we are encouraged to be ourselves.

As it turns out, “being yourself” is the thing that fits you into a category. Hanfler discusses the Skinhead subculture and all of the minutiaes that can differentiate subcultures within the Skinhead lifestyle.  Hanfler points out, “Something as seemingly simple as  a shoelace  can hold significant meanings. To some skins, wearing white laces signifies white pride, red laces white power, and yellow laces hatred of police.” Ridiculous! Regarding social construction, Skinheads have attributed shoelaces to hold meaning!  

Similarly, Young discusses how school has fit into a norm as well in “Students Rights to They Own Language.”  Young reflects “it may be true that the standard language is [...] a device for protecting the status quo, but that very truth is a reason for teaching it to students.”  Young discusses how if students were permissible to write with their own voice, it would allow prejudices to take root. I think he raises a valid argument.  Even as I write now, I am following a list of rules within the english language.  I began this paragraph with a different thought and I am doing my best to follow the grammatical, accepted practices of the english language.   

Both articles relate to the TED talk  by Sam Killerman, “Understanding the Complexities of Gender.”  In the talk, Killerman discusses what it means to “be a man and vs. a women” in our society.   He questions why the world we live in cares so much about it.  Men “should” be strong and women “should” be passive. Again, our fixation on categorization is not something I support.

I think all three represent what social construction is doing to our society.  I fear soon we will live in a place where everyone is so goddamned scared to be different, creativity will seis.  I think it would be interesting if you could see the life of someone immersed in society and the same life totally secluded from any norms.  Would they be the same them?