pepper for your eyes?

Topic: Violence

Source: Robbins Chapter 8, page 187

 Relation: The idea that violence may erupt because of a lack of centralized control to protect valued resources is evident.

Description: Reading in this section about violence made me think about Occupy and how their protests have caused violence. For example one indecent that caught my eye, was back in November when i was back home during thanksgiving break, I saw the big scandal that occurred at UC Davis. On November 18, 2011 during an occupy movement at Davis, the campus police pepper-sprayed a group of demonstrators who sat peacefully on the quad. The police abused their authority on these peaceful occupy protestors who did not even use violence against them. They used pepper spray as a tool to remove them where they weren't wanted. According to our text, violence is often used to 'protect valued resources'. (pg.187), in this .case I felt that it was obviously faculty might not have wanted them on their property, especially on campus, but was this method really necessary? Pepper spray was shoved down their throats and sprayed on their eyes, and thats painful because it stings and burns. It wasn't any different than beating them because it was still physically harmful.


Analysis:  Violence is used and abused in many different ways, whether its in war, protests, or in other sorts of ways. In this case i felt that by pepper staying these non violent protestors, was definitely not the right way to remove them from the location. If they wanted them out why didn't the police try negotiating with them? Such as talking to them first, yet instead they went ahead onto simply pepper staying them. There are often times when conditions are given for violence to rise, but this wasn't the case. In today society's we feel the urge to settle everything with violence, and it shouldn't be this way. There are other methods such as mentioned in our text, like the peaceful societies who avoid conflict over resources by sharing and cooperation.(pg. 185) If we changed our views, maybe we can use less violence in our society.

We're not all about pink and blue

Topic:  Gender

Source:  Looking through my pictures, I realized how much gender roles were enforced in my household, especially since I was the only girl out of two brothers.

Relation: According to Robbins Text in chapter 6, gender is a culture creation rather than a biological construct like most think. It describes the ways in how we categorized certain things for either girls or boys.

Description: I remember my mother once telling me that the moment I was born my father had bought me a pink dress to change in, but the nurses didn’t allow it since  I was just a new born and needed to be in covered clothes. Looking through my old family album, i found pictures of me always wearing dresses and the color pink. my favorite color has never been pink, its blue. But even growing up, when i was younger i use to share my room with my brother. My dad customized our room, by making us our bed frames and room  furniture, there was a clear gender division across our room, my side was invaded completely by pink, my bed was hello kitty theme based, while by brother's was nascar. Most of my clothes, were pink, while most of my brothers were blue. I was always told girls wore pink and guys wore blue, i played with barbie dolls while my brother was taught to play with cars and video games. I was even enrolled in ballet, while my brother was enrolled in a soccer team. Even in school, in kindergarden they provide all these game sets such as playhouses for girls, and car tracks and lego games for boys. Its all these gender norms that our culture and society itself create, expecting for girls to be so classy and a female is always expected to be a the mother, or wife, as a male is always seen as the harder worker able to support his family.  But this isn't always the case.

Analysis: I was never the 'girly-type', but as i grew up i started to realize how much gender really is a cultural creation. The moment a baby is born everyone wants to know if it was a girl or boy, and usually they get covered with a pink or blue sheet. Unfortunately not every one fits into our social ideal gender roles. Although our culture should be able to comprehend that not everyone fits in, therefore they shouldn't be judged or looked down on.

Bro's and Frats..

Topic: Sex

Source: Robbins Chapter 6, page 141.  

Relation: As I read Peggy Reeves Sanday study about college fraternities and sex it reminded me of a situation of some one I know was a victim related to this study case.

Description: Back in first semester, a group of friends and I went out to a party in one of the frat houses, and one of the  girls from the group met this guy, but of course she was intoxicated, and she disappeared for awhile. Turns out she was a victim of rape, we later found out the guy she met is part of a frat, and he’s out of state, in other words he was just a visitor. Through social connections, we later found out that was his mission to do so. Interesting to observe how sex is not really a big deal in college, especially in a fraternity it seems like guys are sex-crazy to prove themselves in their brotherhood in order to build themselves up as a power male status. I guess I would have to agree with Peggy, its all about male identity, and how it is reinforced in American society.

Commentary Analysis: Its not so much that sex is involved in fraternities and sororities but college in general, its something a lot of people do and its something you can be open about, at least in colleges.Although in fraternities i feel like sex is definitely highly more reinforced because guys actually do rape women in some cases, either because its a 'rush thing' or are pressured to do so by guys who are always part of the frat, and its usually because woman are on drugs or intoxicated. A lot of the times woman are pressured into being part of any type of sexual activity or are harassed by men in frat parties. Especially because theres a lot of alcohol involved in frat houses, it tends to increase sexual violence and rape. 

What music do you practice?

TOPIC: Ritual

SOURCE: Robbins chapter four, page 92.

RELATION: Reading through chapter four Robbins explains rituals are important because they comprise one of the ways that people become convinced of the validity of their beliefs. Recently ive been listening to a lot of music, simply because I need to hear it and everywhere I go my ipod is on.

DESCRIPTION: After thinking for a while, I came to a conclusion that music is a ritual that everyone practices. Whether its by listening to it or expressing it, music is very inspiring, and its something I personally practice on a daily basis. It helps me relieve stress when I'm busy with loads of school work. I listen to almost every type of genre, and I feel that depending on what my mood is, is what type of music I decide to listen to. Everyone listens to different music, but its something anyone connects too with the right beat, music is universal. Must often defines what kind of person you are, depending to what you listen too, its not always the case but for the most part it usually is. One of my favorite bands is the xx, and absolutely love them! Theres even such thing as ritual music itself alone, in social events such as parties we all share the same ritual because we dance to it, and its usually like dubstep or party music. Even within cultures, music varies because every culture has their own music that defines them.  Can you imagine the world without music? I know I cant, and its amazing to know how music can bring people together, especially here in Humboldt county. A lot of people here play guitar and I kind of got into the whole acoustic, soul reggae type of music. Theres a lot of talented people in the area and its beautiful to see how they express their talent for music in shows and concerts. Music is extremely significant for many people, just like many live for it.

COMMENTARY ANALYSIS: Whether its expressing music or listening to it music brings a lot of people together everywhere we go, I need music on my daily life, its jst quite astonishing to realize how much music has done if we trace it back in history. I feel that music is a ritual because everyone has different beliefs on it just it can be with tv as well. Everyone beliefs in different things as they listen to different things as well. Music is like a universal language through sound. What music do you practice? 

and just when i thought torta's were extinct....

Topic: Localization/Tradition

Source: Over the weekend, I saw a flyer from Rita’s Mexican Restaurant, and honestly I’ve had Mexican food from around here and it compares nothing to real Mexican food, so I decided to check this place out because I’ve heard really good things about their food. 

Relation:  From reading throughout Robbins chapters I learned the concept of localization is bringing new ideas/things and localizing to the community, in this case being Mexican food. I thought, finally I can blog about something I relate too, involving a little tradition from my Mexican heritage, and the localization of Mexican food in Arcata.

Description: I had been craving a torta and horchata for the longest over the past several days, and when I saw Rita’s flyer, I told my friend if it was a true Mexican restaurant it would for sure have torta’s. It certainly did, I was so happy for once a place had torta’s, my next concern was would it be a real torta? Looking through the menu I saw they had a really good variety of main Mexican dishes such as tamales,burritos, tacos, enchiladas, torta’s, quesadilla’s, even chimichanga's and all sorts of meat like barbacoa, asada, milanesa etc. I ordered a torta/sandwich with barbacoa, and let me tell you it taste pretty damn good. It consisted of guacamole, melted cheese, barbacoa, onions, lettuce, and an extra sauce that added a really good flavor. Ive had better but I think this place is as good as it gets around here. The horchata was good too but I was disappointed that it was powdered horchata and not hand brewed like it should be. Although I was a bit surprised to realize that my dish came aside with fries, I didn’t mind but “fries’? I thought this was a little twist to typical American food, and thought it was quite interesting that they do this.

Commentary Analysis:

Its hard to find a really good Mexican place around here in general, but Ive noticed there are several places trying to pull-off the typical “Mexican grill”. Going into Rita’s I was actually surprised to not see any other Latino’s than my friend and I. But I was more astonished to realize how much white people actually love Mexican food. As my friend and I walked to our assigned seating I felt sort of awkward because it seemed like we were the outcast and all these white people were just starring at us, like they’ve never seen Mexicans walking through there. I was extremely overwhelmed to know that Rita’s is a mexican family run-on restaurant and the guy who served us had a conversation with us talking in Spanish and it felt so nice to smell Mexican food, I truly felt like home. By doing this observation I came to a conclusion that Rita’s restaurant is an example of localization, they’ve gotten the community into liking anew style of food in which is not there usual customs. I also think Rita has a good vibe upholding Mexican tradition, in what a typical Mexican grill would contain of. From the decorations, to the music, and paintings, even the workers. In this case I loved the way the community has reacted to Mexican food, its delicious and they love it!

Even your gluteus maximum gets preferred seating…

Source: Political Anatomy, Robbins (pg.3)

Relation: As Robbins describes the purpose for having chairs and desks in a classroom setting, I was at the Redwood Bowl this weekend and I analyzed the purpose for having bleachers and stands for sporting events.

Description: This past Saturday HSU Track and Field had an opening Green and Gold 

Meet, and as I watched from the stands taking photographs it hit me for the first time how every stadium is designed a specific way just for the viewers eyes. Ever wondered why your seat is designed the way it is? How stadiums wouldn’t be called stadiums if the seats weren’t arranged in a circular/oval pattern? As I sat watching the various multi-events, I noticed how the supporters sat in various parts of the stands, some preferred lower seating to be close to the finish line, while others preferred higher seating to get a better view of the whole track. I personally love front row seats, but that’s because I love taking close-up snapshots. I noticed our seating contains only of long benches across the stands, in order to fit the most capacity. There’s no need of inclination seating if your body will always have the tendency to lean forward or standup to see which athletes gets first place, or if there was a goal scored, or if our team made a touch-down. Doesn’t matter the sport people only need a seat to watch an event comfortably. 

 

Commentary and analysis: From an anthropologist point of view, the seating in the Redwood Bowl part takes in political anatomy of a sporting event; because our bodies are forced to view the center of the field. Part of the sporting event system gives meaning to its spectators. Every seat is supposed to have the same ability to provide the same viewing to everyone, with individual preferences of closer or further viewing. Although its unique setting is appropriate for such sporting event. Analyzing this setting, I was able to see cultural anthropology in the world of athletes.

Seeing French Culture through my American eyes.

Topic: Seeing Culture

Source: My trip to France really opened up my mind to other cultures. I learned a lot during this trip in how not just are we all different but how every society share different cultures. 

Relation: I like how our textbook in chapter one Robbins explains on page 14. how anthropologists must be able to look beyond everyday appearances...and how it questions "Is it possible to see the world through the eye of others?"I felt that during this trip that  I had the opportunity to see the french culture with my own eyes. 

Description: Two years ago my French teacher from high school planned a trip to France and it was an experience of a life-time! I learned so much about the French culture and what accustoms they have. We traveled to Paris, Brussels, and Luxemburg in the course of 11days.  Everything was completely different than what I'm use to here in California. The cars seemed smaller, and with there subway and metro transportation system I felt like you didn’t even need to car to roam around because you could pretty much go anywhere in the subways. 

My first meal that I had was a chicken sandwich and I realized their food servings are much smaller. I confirmed this the next day when my breakfast contained of a small piece of bread, with a small bowl of cereal and a small mug. I told my French teacher “Is this really all they eat?” and she told me “Yes the servings here in France are more proportionated” so I had too reserve myself 2more times to be completely full.

 As we walked around Paris it I learned how common it was for teens to hangout around plaza’s smoking cigaretts and drinking. See I wish we could be allowed to drink at the age of 18 as it is in France. I was kind of amazed to see how smoking was so common between teens it was like ‘the thing to do’.  On one of the restaurants a waitress asked our French teacher for permission if we were allowed to drink beer because she knew we were Americans,  it sucked that obviously we weren’t allowed. 

Also, there big on pastries and bakeries, there desserts are so good!! I was in love with nutella crepes and Belgium waffles!! It was interesting to see how French people don’t grocery shop as Americans do. See here we grocery shop usually once a week and we buy everything we need for the whole week, as for French people they buy what there going to need in that one day. Basically everything is fresh, because every food group is divided in different local stores or food stands. If you needed bread you go the bakery, if you needed milk or anything dairy you go to a dairy store and if want meat you go the your local butcher shop. Fruits are usually sold in food stands.

 How can I FORGET one of the main culture differences; its true French people do greet each other by kissing each other’s cheeks. I was often greeted by my teachers friends and let me tell you, it is a little uncomfortable when strangers kiss you. 

As many of us know Paris is famous not just for its Eiffel Tower but for its museums and art. I loved Eiffel Tower and I got to see Mona lisa in the Museum of Le Louvre. We also got to see Notre-Dame, Napoleon Tomb in the Orsay,  Concorde, Champs-Elysees, Etoile, Moulin Rouge, Palace of Versailles,  and many more places to name a few. I enjoyed this experience so much I like them french people and I definitely look forward to visiting France again!

Commentary/Analysis:  Overall my point in choosing to write about my trip was not just to describe a little of what the french culture is like but also to give an idea of how were all human beings but we each individually do things our own way. We can never be sure of whats right nor wrong, therefore who are we do judge others cultures? Just because we don't do things a certain way or believe in certain things doesn't give us the right to criticize others that are different from us. We see culture on a daily bases but its an amazing experience if you actually get the chance to live and be part of whole new culture.