Do Not Apologize for Being You (A Rendering)

Here is a poem I would like to begin with before starting:

Promise Yourself

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can
disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to
every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel like there is
something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your
optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best,
and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on the
greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give
every living person you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, and too
strong for fear, and to happy to permit the
presence of trouble.

 

There are several unconscious norms that exist within todays society that point in the direction that males are more set for certain jobs and females are more set for others. Is this really the case? Should it really still be the case? This is just a form of human construct and things that have been brought upon by humans. I would like to support this claim with a quote:

“There are only collections of individual people acting in particular kinds of microsituations.” Schwalbe et al. (2000) emphasize how the repetition of “generic processes” such as oppressive othering, identity work, boundary maintenance, and emotion management all contribute to the reproduction of inequality through their frequent deployment in varied social contexts.” (Grazian, pg 237, 2007) When discussing the concept of the perceived “male superiority” the piece that Grazian wrote states that the process of “girl watching” or “girl hunting” contributes to the process of fabricating gender differences and seeing women as objects. At the very base of it, these actions can be carried over to the work force when believing men are more fit to do more than women or in the context of being oppressed in certain work situations. “This study follows a consistent thread within sociology that recognizes how rituals of dating and mating occur within specific interpersonal networks in which shared and collective meanings of sexuality are institutionally in- scribed in social space”(Grazian, pg 238, 2007) This article serves as a reminder that although these tendencies occur, it is important for women to strive for greatness against all odds. Despite the progress that women have made, ignorance still exists within the workforce or even in social settings when it comes to the superiority of men. Like the poem says, focus on the improvement of oneself. It is essential to stay positive and not worry about the issues too in depth or it will hinder progress. Although much of the reading deals with night life and how men pursuer women, the message and intention is far greater. In summation, women are strong beings and can accomplish anything so long as they put their mind to it like and other human being. If one allows the ignorance of societal norms to hinder them, then nothing can be accomplished. It is not the mistakes of the past that matter, its how one decides to deal with them that really counts.

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Kids on Drugs (Rendering)

Perhaps one of the most influential album covers of 2018 is that of J.Cole’s K.O.D which has three separate meanings but one of them stands for “Kids on Drugs.” J.Cole explains how it is difficult now to turn on a TV and not see an ad discussing depression or asking how youth are feeling and directing them to some sort of drug for an escape or gateway to happiness. This must be occurring more in the United States however because I do not recall seeing many of these ads here in Canada. Hammond et al provides an accurate depiction of this as they conducted a study on certain substances and their popularity. J.Cole is considered a conscious rapper and often has lyrics about contemporary issues, the album cover also depicts youths direction towards substances and abuse of drugs. Below are the findings of Hammond et al’s study:

“In 2008, approximately 21% of youth in grades 7-9 reported drinking at least once a month in the past year, 26% reported previous tobacco use, 17% reported trying cannabis, while 13% reported trying another substance, including glue, non-medical use of prescription drugs, hallucinogens, and amphetamines. Compared to 2006, the number of youth in grades 7-9 who reported ever trying glue decreased significantly in 2008, whereas those who reported ever trying MDMA and non-medical use of prescription drugs had increased. Males were significantly more likely to report use for most but not all substances across survey years.”(Hammond et al, 2011, pg 7)

“A considerable portion of Canadians aged 13 to 15 reported experimenting with illegal substances. The findings provide the most comprehensive national trends in substance use among young Canadians.”

(Hammond et al, 2011, pg 7)

The fact that a considerable portion of youth in Canada are experimenting with illegal drugs is concerning. It is essential that as a school system awareness of drug addictions are being spread in order to promote health and bright futures of students. Being the eldest of three children, I see how easy it is to get caught in peer pressure and providing the right guidance is critical. Having positive influencers like J.Cole who has a massive influence is an incredible start to spreading positive messages to youth and steering them in the right direction. Part of this is being honest with what is going on and confronting it face to face and J.Cole is no stranger to doing this with his creative album covers.

 

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When Being “Sad” Made Youth So Happy (Rendering)

It is no question that music affects everyone, especially youth, but it is also important to note that mental health is an extremely important concern when dealing not only with adults but also youth. A popular rapper amongst youth by the name of XXXTENTACION released a song entitled “Sad” which discusses his struggles with the breakup he had with his ex-girlfriend. The song is so catchy however that when it is played many youth just sing along and enjoy the music but do not really understand what they are saying. The chorus is as follows:

Who am I? Someone that’s afraid to let go, uh
You decide if you’re ever gonna let me know (yeah)
Suicide if you ever try to let go, uh
I’m sad, I know, yeah, I’m sad, I know, yeah
Who am I? Someone that’s afraid to let go, uh
You decide if you’re ever gonna let me know (yeah)
Suicide if you ever try to let go, uh
I’m sad, I know, yeah, I’m sad, I know, yeah

Do you notice one striking word in the chorus? I certainly do and that word is “suicide.” The concept of suicide always been a concerning issue but even more so now within the last couple of years due to an increased amount of cases. It is essential now that we do not only look at the lyrics or how catchy the song is but at the bigger picture. Results of a critical study conducted by Landstedt et al found that mental health was mainly associated with negative aspects, distress, and/or illness (Landstedt et al, 2009, pg 966). The main focus of this would most definitely the concept of “social interaction.” To put this simply it is basically the concept that includes good relations with others (Landstedt et al, 2009, pg 966). How does this apply however to youth? Well first and foremost, I would like to begin by saying that this famous rapper XXXTENTACION was only 19 years old. His issues that he faced by having a poor relationship with his ex-girlfriend which eventually caused him to have suicidal thoughts. Upon completing several weeks at my school and community practicum it is important to note that social interactions shape much of how youth are feelings with themselves. The sense of belonging is important because it gives a sense of community and friendship. “Some boys did, however, mention potential negative responses (e.g. being ridiculed for atypical masculine behaviours, such as expressing emotions).” (Landstedt et al, 2009, pg 974) This quote really stood out to me because youth can often be criticized for showing emotion, especially males by their peers. It is still a predominant thought that men are not supposed to show certain kinds of emotion and this is not right because it can lead to depression and even suicide. Another great example is an artist who has the young generation singing all of his songs, Drake. In an interview with Jian Ghomeshi, he states that people think he is very emotional and have some sort of longing for a woman when this is not the case. This quote in and of itself proves that those claims by others could potentially bother him in a sense. If youth look up to Drake and he has issues with these claims, could this mean that it may allow the young ones to have issues with showing emotion especially for males? The interview is posted below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ423XvumDI

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Overcoming Peer Pressure and Risky Behaviour

Since one of my previous entries involved risk behaviour amongst youth, here is a wonderful video utilizing behavioural science to explain how any individual can overcome peer pressure. I chose this video because it utilizes one scientific method potentially mentioned in the previous readings to help supplement the risk behaviour post.

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Push it to the limit. How far can we push it?

I firmly believe that with proper guidance and the right social setting, youth in particular are less prone to risk behaviour than those who have been exposed to the wrong social setting. Supposedly changes in education, employment, housing, family relationships and increased pressure to be a consumer has apparently had an impact on youth negatively. Apparently youth are more inclined to take risks that involve smoking, illicit drug usage, and the abuse of alcohol. Although this may be partially true, I am not in complete accordance with these statements (France, 2010, pg.318). Does lack of education always mean a life of negativity or risky behaviour? Absolutely not, it is likely but it does not always lead down these paths. Pyschodynamic theories state that only objective science can determine and document why youth take risks and are involved in this behaviour (France, 2010, pg.318). I find a problem with this because these are only based off of documentation that has been reported while there is a large number of unreported cases that do not involve risk. Although I do with agree with claims that youth are naturally looking for pleasure, excitement and enjoyment in life at an early age (France, 2010, pg.320), I highly believe that it can stem from different areas as opposed to risky behaviour. If one finds excitement or pleasure in partaking in an extracurricular activity is this considered risky behaviour? Despite my own biases I do want to call upon personal experience to shed some light on the opposite end of the spectrum. When I first entered high school, it was not common for individuals to smoke both cigarettes or marijuana at such an early age. When social groups formed and the need to conform or fit in began to take shape. There were more students smoking, doing drugs and abusing alcohol than the ones that started in grade 9 due to social groups. This next excerpt solidifies these claims wonderfully;

“Jessor, for example, develops a theory of ‘psychological risk’. He suggests that the desire to engage in problem be- haviours, such as drinking, drug use and unprotected sex is greatly in􏰲uenced by biographical and social-psychological variables. These can be in􏰲uenced by personality, beliefs and behaviours that are approved by others (Jessor, 1984). Such an argument draws upon evidence that supports the existence of organized patterns of risk-taking. These ‘structures of behaviours’ re􏰲ect on the ado- lescent’s way of being in the world and of the social organization of opportuni- ties to learn risk-taking behaviours together (Jessor, 1991, p. 9) risk-taking then is seen as having two dimensions.”

 

This is one statement or viewpoint that I definitely agree with fully due to the fact that I have seen this happen in front of my eyes over the course of the four years that I was in high school. It is important to note however that although social settings have a large impact on youth and their behaviour it is not always guaranteed that it will cause risk behaviour. To utilize myself as an example, I have never touched drugs EVER although I had friends who used to do drugs recreationally and take part in risk behaviour. It has much to do with strong sense of self and furthermore, having the proper guidance.

“Risk and risk-taking, therefore, has to be recognized as a negotiated process which is a product of social interactions.” (France, 2010, pg. 325) This also seems to be true because many groups of youth often evaluate the pros and cons of risk behaviour. For example, the initial decision to smoke a cigarette, although some are impulsive others will weigh the pros and cons of it before engaging in the behaviour. It is for this very reason that the limits of risk behaviour are not clear and although I disagree with the fact that many youth with certain backgrounds can engage in certain behaviours, I do agree that peer groups and social aspects have a huge impact on the risk decisions of youth.

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There’s No Place Like Home. What if I don’t have one?

What is your first reaction when seeing a homeless individual asking for money or other items for their daily survival? Do you help them or give them something or do you ignore them and wish they would get a job? Lets change the perspective now to homeless youth, does your attitude change or do you still feel the same? I remember one evening going to work downtown and seeing a young homeless individual who stopped me outside of a corner store. He mentioned that he was not asking for much but he really just wanted two cans of coke and a bag of haribo sweets that were located near the checkout of the convenient store. I remember thinking to myself “here I am going to work because I am blessed to make some money and this poor gentleman is down on his luck, you have to go buy it for him.” I bought what he wanted and I was on my way to work, I also couldn’t help but to think, is really homeless, does he have some sort of an addiction or did he do this to himself? I am in partial accordance with Gaetz and O’Grady’s claims that poverty is able to be escaped through hard work and dedication. They blame much of homelessness on government assistance and they believe that if something is always given to you, it creates that “why work” notion (Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 246). However I believe that there is definitely a mixture of both self inflicted homeless and difficult circumstances that create homelessness. Sometimes in life those have to deal with the cards their dealt and it is more difficult on some than it is others especially youth. Gaetz and O’Grady raise a wonderful point when saying that certain social characteristics create difficulty when it comes to working and therefore resulting in homelessness. The fact that they state that history of abuse, age one left home, education level, and addictions or mental health allows one to think that it is difficult to get “regular jobs” when considering these factors (Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 246). Does this mean homeless youth are lazy and rather not get regular jobs? I believe it is quite possible considering the alternatives to regular jobs that youth are taking part in. Many result in means of illegal activity or quasi-legal activity as a means of earning money. The mere fact that some may resort to panhandling or squeegeeing proves the laziness of a young homeless generation (Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 248). My position may seem bias however if an individual really wants to escape homeless one will stop at nothing. There are highly effective employment training programs that are effective when it comes to improving employability of marginalized youth by providing them with the supports necessary (Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 250). Why are they not taking advantage of this? Much has to do with social exclusion in my personal opinions. When individuals are socially excluded from the norm it almost creates a segregation and want to not be part of the group who excludes certain individuals (Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 251). Social exclusion also creates groups bound by similarities such as homelessness which also makes getting out of the situation much more difficult. Although some are victims of circumstance, the employment training programs do prove to have some relevance and effectiveness despite lack of extensive research, This may very well support the neoliberal approach or viewpoint that some homeless youth could may very well be “lazy.”(Gaetz & O’Grady, 1999, pg 259)

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A Forced Interaction-Is ethnicity Still a Segregating Factor?

First and foremost, upon analyzing a piece written by Mary E. Thomas I find that I am in accordance to what she is saying to a great degree. What exactly constitutes a segregating factor? Is there unconscious bias that exists that is implemented without us knowing? Perhaps one of the most striking experts that is continuously troubling to me is the fact that out of all subjects studied, the girls in the high school that was examined do not have interrelationships outside of school (Thomas, 2004, pg 1236). It seems that many youth may have forced interactions because they have to in a school setting and leave the cooperation at the door once they leave. Why is this? I believe that it may not entirely have much to do with race according to evidence provided by the text. Prior to answering this question, I would like to invite you to imagine this scenario. Imagine walking into a room before a party has started, upon seeing plenty of unfamiliar faces, you notice two close friends of yours who are standing by the refreshments. Who are you more drawn to go to? The people you know or the people you don’t. In most cases its the people you know and are familiar with. It is for this very reason that I am in complete accordance with Tatum’s claims stating that space is the outcome of identity practice. Tatum’s analysis of black females in this particular high school raised an interesting point by saying that a similarity is a natural point of convergence especially when mentioning youth. It is natural for youth to be bound by similarities (Thomas, 2004, pg 1237). Perhaps one of the most striking finds that is puzzling is when a black student by the name of Bryana stated that in the lunchroom people are segregated but when break comes everyone is united and socializing with one another. Why does this seem to be the case? Bryana raised a much more simple explanation based off of the question I previously stated. She states that its a possibility that race or ethnicity may not even be a thought but rather people just associate with those that they are friends with and have interests with (Thomas, 2004, pg 1240). I personally do think that even though racism still exists, it has slightly decreased throughout the course of history, this is why I agree with these statements. Personally I believe that social constructs particularly in youth are a bit of a mixture of both, but when it comes to the “racist” ideology, it doesn’t take shape in aggressive form. “They are constrained by their identifications and social positionings, and that race, lived also through gender and age, remains at the heart of the school’s spatiality.”  This quote sparks interest as race still seems to be at the heart of some decision making when it comes to the social practices of youth. Many black students attack black friends according to the piece and same goes for white students. Are these interactions forced? or is the concept of segregation still an unconscious factor when it comes to social interaction amongst youth?

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Professionalism Post

It is essential to note that as a student, professionalism remains key. Being appropriately dressed in the classroom is essential for those who want to make an appropriate impression. Punctuality and attendance is also key due to the fact that everyone is responsible for their own learning. Students interactions are also very important as a teacher student relationship is not the only one that exists, rather peer relationships are also beneficial for the learning of others. Taking part in extra curricular activities is a wonderful opportunity to build structure around things that are not related to academics. It will also help to build time management skills and create an opportunity to grow as a student.

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