Internalization of Oppression
Reading this article made me feel sick to think of how women suffered with binding of their feet, burning alive, and submitting to vaginal mutilation. I felt glad to live in a society that does not believe in any of these practices.
I am surprised by the internalization of oppression. If I was a widow and my husband’s family wanted me to be burned alive with my husband’s corpse, I would run as far and as fast as I could. Hopefully, I would not have married into such a belief in the first place. I suppose certain things are just ingrained in a culture and are socially, morally, and religiously acceptable.
Some women in the United States buy into the theory that thin is beautiful. Women will starve themselves or eat very restricted diets to stay as thin as a super model. Starving yourself or eating a very restricted diet will cause health problems such as malnutrition or anorexia. In addition to diet restriction, some women exercise excessively. Some women take diet pills to help them to stay thin. Sometimes these dietary supplements are harmful to the body.
I do not know if one culture has the right to judge the customs of another culture. It happens all the time. For example, Christians do not agree with Hindu, Islamic, or Buddhist beliefs. In fact, Christians work hard to try to convert followers of other religions to the Christian religion. One rarely hears of Hindu or Buddhist followers attempting to lure away followers of Christianity. Who knows why Christians think their religious beliefs are the best.
The sati practice is a good example of when human rights violations justify intervention and judgment. Anytime the lives of humans are sacrificed is a good time to intervene. No way should widows allow themselves to be burned alive along with their husband’s corpse. Take note that in the cultures that practice sati, the men do not burn themselves alive along with the corpse of their wife.
“Showing my Color”
The phrase “showing my color” can mean a variety of things. It can mean showing anger. It can mean acting in a way that is identified with being black, usually in a way that is perceived as negative either by other black people or by the white community. The phrase could also mean showing pride in or celebrating being black.
I think it is a social crime that he was warned to not “show his color.” It implies that his own family was ashamed in some way of being black. His family did not want him to act out in a traditionally “black” way in public. His family was teaching him how to be ashamed of being black. This creates a self-esteem problem.
Page does not like the idea of color-blindness. He doesn’t want to deny his race. He doesn’t want his neighbors to deny his race. Page believes that ethnic differences are good. He notes that the Irish-Americans and Mexican-Americans celebrate their heritage and holidays. He wants black people to do the same. Every race in America can contribute something.
Page rejects the melting pot theory. He says we should not all blend in and try to be the same. He says each culture should maintain their own distinct character, flavor, and color.
How do I feel about color-blindness? I believe that color-blindness is impossible. To be color-blind means to treat people of all races the same. What is the norm then? How will all races be treated? We all know the answer. That means all races will be treated as if they were white people. That is truly being color-blind because it denies people their true color, their culture, and imposes the white culture on everyone. That is wrong. Who says the white culture is the best? The white people.
Page is right that the melting pot is not realistic. We should not all blend together. We should each contribute to society from our unique culture and background.
Feminism
The function of Feminism is to obtain the same rights for women as men. It may seem hard to believe now but there was a time in American history when women had to fight for the right to vote and to own property. That was during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and was called First-wave feminism. Second-wave feminism started in the 1960s and went through the 1980s. During this time, feminists fought for equal rights in education and in the work place. The second-wave also fought for abortion and reproductive rights. Ever heard of Roe v. Wade? Third-wave feminism took over in the 1980s and continued into the 1990s. This third phase was concerned with correcting the failures of the second-wave.
Contemporary feminists are still fighting some of the same battles fought in other waves. Some examples are individual freedom, economic freedom, equal pay, domestic violence, gender stereotypes, gender discrimination, and gender objectification. Different feminists have different beliefs that sometimes clash with each other.
Industrialization and Life Expectancy
Industrialization affects life expectancy because industrialization draws more people together in cities where people are exposed to social groups and nationalities they would not otherwise be exposed to. Throwing all these groups together allows diseases to travel from one group to another group that has never been exposed to these diseases before. Naturally, more exposure to disease decreases life expectancy.
Employees working with huge machinery or dangerous chemicals may expect to have their lives cut short. Mining offers dangers with cave-ins and explosions that reduce life expectancy.
Thankfully, medical technology has emerged to make up for the negative effects of industrialization. Life expectancy is now longer than it has ever been. Technology even exists to help fetuses still in the uterus. We can cure many diseases that couldn’t be cured centuries ago. We have surgeries now that can help people survive heart attacks, accident injuries, and war injuries that people would not have survived even a century ago.
The Graying of America
The term the “graying of America” refers to the fact that the American population is getting older. More people than ever before are now over the age of sixty-five. The social consequences of this include the biggest drain in history on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, pensions, and long-term care. This means there may not be any funding left for these programs when the younger generations are ready to retire. The younger generations may not even be able to retire, forcing people to work when they are elderly, frail, or ill.
Other social problems that may occur include even more of a generation gap. The older population does not understand the younger population and vice versa. The younger and older populations value different things. These younger generations are going to be responsible for caring for the older generation. These groups have to find a way to understand and respect each other.
Along the same lines as the social programs running out of money is the fact that fewer working Americans are now supporting each retiree. This helps to explain why the funds will run out of money.
Difference Between Marriage in Traditional Families and Industrial Societies
Marriage in ultra-conservative traditional families may still be arranged, such as in Indian culture. People marry at a young age in traditional family. In an industrial society, marriage is postponed until later in life. People want to be established in their career before they start a family.
Marriage in traditional families may take on more religious meaning than in an industrial society. Industrial societies are getting away from their religious backgrounds.
Probability of Divorce
The probability of divorce in American Society is at least fifty percent. It is difficult to measure because it depends on the age of the people when they marry, whether it is a first marriage, second marriage, or third marriage, and whether the couple has children.
What Makes a Marriage Successful?
Common characteristics that make for a successful marriage include honesty in all things, compatible spending habits, compassion, thoughtfulness, sexual compatibility, and a willingness to work hard on the marriage. In addition, do not keep score of mistakes. Strive for good communication. Do not expect your spouse to be able to read your mind. Similar religious beliefs are important for many marriages to be successful. Respect for your spouse is a must. It helps if the families can get along and if the families like the spouse who married into their family. Husbands and wives need to have similar values. Husbands and wives have to want the same things and agree on how to get these things.
