Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Meritocracy and Class Stratification
Topic: Class
Source: Cultural Anthro, Richard Robbins (p. 153 – 177)
Irvine Spectrum Center
Starbucks
CSU Fullerton
Relation: As Robbins explains, social classes are a “system of social stratification based on income or possession of wealth and resources,” (Robbins 155). Some societies allow their citizens social mobility, meaning that citizens have the capacity to ascend or descend through the classes. Other societies are organized into a caste system. The caste system is “a system of social stratification based on assignment at birth to the ranked social or occupational groups of parents,” (Robbins 156). In addition, intermarriage between different castes is not permitted. In many cases, this division of classes leads to inequality.
Description: This field study was conducted over a period of five days at three different locations. It began on Thursday night at approximately 9:00pm when I departed for the Irvine Spectrum Center. The field study ended on Monday night at approximately 7:00pm. The reason for this extended timeframe is that some days I was unable to find willing participants.
I met Peggy* at Starbucks. Peggy described her class as a combination of middle and working class. She has a post-high school education. In addition, her parents were homeowners. These are status markers of the middle class. However, Peggy also describes herself as working class. She “works her ass off” but is underpaid. She described these as characteristics of working class individuals. She also mentioned that when she thinks about working class individuals, she often imagines illegal immigrants. In addition, she describes working class people as people without cars who use public transportation. She believes that social mobility exists in America. Her parents were originally from the lower or working class, but they rose to the middle class through hard work and involvement in the military.
I also met Bill* at Starbucks. Bill described himself as a combination of lower and working class. Bill has worked in lower class jobs such as retail. In addition, Bill says that lower class people tend to inhabit apartments rather than homes. Bill added that he is often underpaid for his work. Bill imagines lower class people as being uneducated, illegal immigrants and recipients of welfare. Bill does not believe that social mobility exists.
I met Ted* and Josh* near the carousal at the Irvine Spectrum Center. Initially, they agreed to answer a few questions to help me with my Cultural Anthropology blog. However, after we found an empty table and they got a chance to view the questions, they decided that this discussion was not for them. I informed them that I would not use their real names in the final product, but they still refused to participate.
I met Eric* at CSU Fullerton. He described himself as belonging to the middle class. He believes that his parents’ income level and affluence in the local community put him at this level. He believes that social mobility is possible in America. He believes that education and social welfare allow people to ascend the social ladder. Eric also believes that government has a duty to provide its citizens with opportunities to acquire resources.
I met Michael* at CSU Fullerton as well. Michael also described himself as belonging to the middle class. His father has a blue collar job. Michael owns a truck. While he believes that more money would benefit him and his family, he admits that they are not hurting for money. Michael believes that America offers social mobility. Education allows people to advance and climb the social ladder. Michael believes that it is government’s duty to provide people with the opportunities to acquire resources. It is the individual’s responsibility to take advantage of this.
I met Jamal* at CSU Fullerton. It was interesting speaking with Jamal. At first, he considered himself lower class but quickly changed it to middle class. While his income is low, his combined expenses and debt are lower. Interestingly enough, Jamal does not feel that government should provide people with resources. He feels that as a society, we should rely on each other and work together.
I met Brad* at CSU Fullerton. Brad identified himself as a member of the upper class. Brad associates suits, smart phones, luxury cars, post-high school education, and specific brands of clothing with his class. He believes that social mobility is possible through education. Brad believes that there are cases in which government needs to provide individuals with resources and cases where government needs to provide individuals with opportunities to acquire resources.
*The names of participants have been changed to protect their identities. I chose to conceal their identities in order to encourage participants to speak freely and truthfully.
Commentary/Analysis: When I created these questions, I assumed that all my participants would classify themselves as middle- or upper class. It costs a lot of money to live in Orange County. I was a bit shocked that some participants considered themselves to be lower class and working class. As Paul Willis’s study of working class students reveals, “Working class youth glorify manual labor as manly,” (Robbins 159). Bill and Peggy both identified as working class; however, both have some post-high school education. Neither of them have a job in manual labor.
I assumed that all my participants would recognize social mobility in “our” society. However, Bill surprised me with his belief that citizens don’t have social mobility. This came as a great shock because Bill’s parents are middle class. How did Bill descend in class if there is no social mobility? In caste systems, social roles are assigned at birth. In addition, “there is no mobility from one caste to another,” (Robbins 156). Does Bill believe that our society resembles a caste society?
The US government has a strong affinity toward capitalism. The government takes a very laissez-faire approach to business, meaning that businesses are often given the freedom of self-regulation. It is because of this, that I believed all my participants would say that it is the government’s duty is to provide citizens with opportunities to acquire resources rather than to provide resources. It was rather shocking to see the results. While all my participants believed that it was the government’s role to provide opportunities to acquire resources, all made cases for occasions where the government should provide resources. I found that to be very interesting. Some acknowledged that affirmative action was needed immediately after the Civil Rights movement. Others argued that illegal immigrants need amnesty to be able to take full advantages of opportunities available to American citizens.
As Americans we have this long-standing perception that hard work will be rewarded. While some believe in the meritocracy is a myth, others believe meritocracy is a way of life. Every day, many of these participants overcome adversity in their struggles to ascend the social ladder.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Individualism and Identity
Topic: Self and Identity Signals
Source: Conformity and Conflict, James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 142 – 152)
Cultural Anthro, Richard Robbins (p. 248 – 258)
Irvine Spectrum Center
“Taboo? Scarification” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vvb16VyVEY
“Full Body Tattoo Taboo?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIoa4-HPBhY&feature=relmfu
“Taboo: Body Modification” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puj8KCz0pMg
“Taboo? Flesh Branding” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO2am5gxPbE
Relation: As Robbins explains, “society is a collection of social identities;” (Robbins 133). That is, individuals try to find a role to occupy in society. An individual’s identity is in relation to their peers, culture and society. There are features, such as race, gender, and physical appearance, which are responsible for creating an individual’s identity. These features are referred to as an identity toolbox. In addition to these features, there is a multitude of other features that also contribute to an individual’s identity. Such features include, class, career, clothing, names, and many more.
Different societies have different views on the idea of self and identity. Some societies have individualistic views, meaning that individuals are “primarily responsible for his or her own actions,” (Robbins 135). This is view is very pronounced in American culture. The holistic approach states that individuals “cannot be conceived of as existing separately from society,” (Robbins 135). Egocentric views are those where the individual is “a replica of all humanity,” (Robbins 135). A sociocentric society would define the self as being in the context of situations. In Japan, the views of self are almost the exact opposite of those in America. In America, people seek to separate themselves from the group and be unique. In Japan, “the nail that sticks up shall be hammered down,” (Robbins 135).
Description: I left my apartment at approximately 4:30pm on Thursday and headed toward the Irvine Spectrum Center. I created a survey to find out how people perceived their own identity. I wanted to know how people perceived themselves in the context of society. I also wanted to know how people perceived themselves and their identities. My goal was to interview 10 participants and compare the results.
My first participant was Michael. His name had significance. He was named after one of his uncles. Michael viewed himself as being individualistic. When asked to describe five important features of his identity he answered with the following: his personality and his kind spirit. He believes that the most notable features of his identity are his “big heart” and his care free attitude. Michael believes that his identity is heavily influenced by society. He is comfortable with his identity and would not change anything about it.
My second participant was Ryan. His name did not have any significant meaning. Much like Michael, he viewed himself as being individualistic. When asked to describe five important features of his identity he answered with the following: nice, friendly, athletic, and honest. He believes that the most people perceive him as being rough, mean, smart and Mexican. He believes that he has control over his identity. Unlike Michael, Ryan admitted that he would like to be taller.
My third participant was Pam. Her name did not have any significant meaning. Much like Michael and Ryan, she viewed herself as being individualistic. When asked to describe five important features of his identity he answered with the following: short, outgoing, funny, sporty, and blind. She believes that her most noticeable features are that she is short, a teacher, smart, athletic, and assertive. She believes that she has control over his identity and doesn’t care how society defines her. Much like Michael, Pam is happy with her identity and would not change anything about it.
My fourth participant was Julia. Her name had some significance. She was named after her grandmother. Unlike Michael, Ryan, and Pam, she viewed herself as being egocentric. When asked to describe five important features of his identity he answered with the following: smart, athletic, positive attitude, moral, and badass. She believes that her most noticeable features are that she dresses in dark clothes, and she is tall, pale, and shy. Externally, she believes that society has control over her identity. However, internally, she doesn’t care how she is identified by society. She would like to be a few inches shorter.
Commentary/Analysis: Names are an integral part of our identity. We are not born with them; rather they are given to us by our parents and society. In many cases, names carry great significance. Michael and Julia were named after relatives. I wonder why their parents made this choice. Do they expect Michael and Julia to follow in their respective relatives footsteps? Why are these relatives so memorable? Why are these relatives deserving of such recognition?
In other cultures, names change with positions. “Among the Gitksan of British Colombia, the names people use depend on their social position; when they enter adulthood, get married, or assume a higher rank in Gitksan society, they change their names,” (Robbins 134).
It was rather interesting to hear the answers to the question regarding five important features of identity. The participants really focused on internal qualities rather than external. In addition, when asked what qualities others are most likely to notice, the majority of their answers were internal qualities as well. They rarely acknowledged external attributes such as clothing, height, gender, ethnicity, etc.
I also found it interesting how people really felt that they controlled their identity. It was not surprising, given that American culture is very individualistic. But they felt that they owned these characteristics. Characteristics that create our personalities, such as mannerisms, language, communication, fashion, etc. are all adopted from our parents, friends, colleagues, society, etc.
I also found it interesting that Michael and Pam would not change anything internal or external about their identities. Despite complaining about diminutive height, Pam said she was happy with herself. Ryan claimed he wanted to be taller. However, I was surprised that he did not mention that he would like to appear less Mexican. He is actually Filipino.
I began to wonder about my identity. In the context of my home, I would say my view of self is sociocentric. In the context of home, I am Iban, the second son of Rodolfo and the fourth child of Irene. But outside my parent’s home, I am Iban, the scholar, athlete, etc.
I also listed five important qualities of myself (Mexican, intelligent, athletic, educated, and funny). After looking at them, “Mexican” really stuck out to me. Why was it so important to me? I began recalling all the different times that people misclassified my ethnicity. People often assume that I am Chinese, Hispanic, Italian, Korean, Filipino, White, White + “Other,” or Colombian. Being recognized as Mexican is important to me not because I have pride in my ethnicity. It is important to me because my parents are Mexican and I hope to honor them in whatever I do.
While I believe I have some control over my identity, I acknowledge that society also controls my identity. I can do many things to change my appearance. Such changes include changing my wardrobe, changing my hair style, getting piercing, getting tattoos, etc. However, these changes are not without consequences. These changes will also change how people perceive me. People often perceive people with pierced eye brows, lips, and noses as rebels, misfits, or punks. In Japan, tattoos historically used to distinguish criminals from the general population. The Yakuza have adopted tattoos to identify themselves as part of the criminal underworld.
I reviewed my answers to the question regarding features of my identity that I would like to change (taller, appear more Mexican, and better language and communication skills). What did I mean when I said I wanted to “appear more Mexican?” I would have to define specific features belonging to that ethnic group. This proved to be a difficult task as I remembered what Jeffrey Fish explained in “Mixed Blood.” “Our categories for racial classification of people arbitrarily include certain dimensions (light versus dark skin) and exclude others (rounded versus elongated bodies),” (Spradley 251). There is great variation between Mexicans all over the country. Some states have higher indigenous populations than others and some states have greater European descendents than others.
I also wondered if my desire to “appear more Mexican” contradicted my desires to be taller and have better language and communication skills. For example, most Mexicans tend to be relatively short. Being taller would mean that I would appear less Mexican. In addition, to have better language and communication skills would mean that I would have to give up my subtle, Spanish accent. This would definitely affect people’s ability to recognize me as a Mexican.
We are defined by both what we are and what we are not. Identity in the context of society is very important. It may distinguish us from one another, but our overlapping qualities link us together and form our culture. As we continue to find new and innovative ways to display our individuality or conformity, our culture will evolve.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Family Composition
Topic: Family Composition
Source: Conformity and Conflict, James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 187 – 184)
Cultural Anthro, Richard Robbins (p. 109 – 129)
Irvine Spectrum Center
Relation: As Robbins explains, the nuclear family is “the group consisting of a father, a mother, and their biological or adopted children,” (Robbins 111). There are two ways of observing nuclear family. There is the family of orientation, the family group that consists of father, mother, self, and siblings. There is also the family of procreation, the family group that consists of a husband, a wife, and their children. Many societies were founded on strong familial bonds. But as these societies became greatly interconnected through blood and marriage, the individuals had to find ways to avoid marrying their own family. The incest taboo is “a rule that prohibits sexual relations within certain categories of kin, such as siblings, children, parents, and certain cousins,” (Robbins 116). As seen in the many cultures, individuals trace their matrilineage, the descendents in the female line, or their patrilineage, the descendents in the male line, or both. In the Ratakote village of India, “to make sure incest is impossible, it is also forbidden to marry anyone from your mother’s arak or your father’s mother’s arak,” (Spradley 191).
Description: I left my apartment at approximately 2:00pm on Sunday and headed toward the Irvine Spectrum Center. I created a survey to find out the composition of people’s families. I also wanted to know how people perceived their families. My goal was to interview a diverse group of people and compare and contrast their family compositions. Originally, I intended to interview 10 test subjects. I was only able to find 6 test subjects.
My first was test subject was Jim*. He was enjoying lunch with two of his daughters outside Panda Express. Jim described himself as a father with four children. He did not have any adopted children. Jim perceived his family as a family of orientation. His family traces both matrilineage and patrilineage.
My second test subjects was Kate*. She was sitting on the bench near the carousal with her husband and their daughters. Kate described herself as a mother and housewife with two children. She did not have any adopted children. Kate perceived her family as a family of procreation. Her family traces only patrilineage because they are unable to determine her mother’s back ground.
My third test subject was Jane Smith*. She was rocking her granddaughter in a stroller across from Dave & Buster’s. Jane described herself as a mother, housewife, and breadwinner with two children. She did not have any adopted children. Jane Smith perceived her family as a family of procreation. She only traces patrilineage.
My fourth test subject was Mr. Bailey*. He was seated with his wife and their three “adopted children” at a table across from Dave & Buster’s. He described himself as a husband, provider, and protector. He and his wife do not have any biological children, but they refer to their three dogs as their “adopted children.” Mr. Bailey perceived his family as family of orientation. Unfortunately, he is unable to trace both his patrilineage and matrilineage because he is the product of Holocaust survivors.
My fifth test subject was Mr. Crabtree. He was seated outside Target with his wife and friend. He described himself as a father with two children. He does not have any adopted children. He perceived his family as one of procreation. In his family, they trace both matrilineage and patrilineage.
My sixth test subject was Frank Lee*. He was seated next to Target with his friends. He described himself as a father. He has one biological child and four adopted children. He perceived his family as one of procreation. His family also traces only patrilineage.
*All test subjects’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Commentary/Analysis: I found the differences in roles between the two roles quite interesting. The women were very quick to add that they were also housewives. On the other hand, the men were quite happy to leave it at father. I wonder why women were so insistent on including housewife. Is it some form of respect for their husband? Or do they feel like it is a title worth displaying? Could it be a form of self subjugation?
It was also very interesting to hear their responses to the question about family of orientation vs. family of procreation. I assumed that people, who described themselves as mothers or fathers, would perceive their families as families of orientation. I also assumed that people, who described themselves as husbands and wives, would perceive their families as families of procreation. The responses were quite the opposite. People who described themselves as mothers and fathers believed that their families were procreative. Mr. Bailey, who answered husband, believed his family to be one of orientation. It could that they heard “family of procreation” and assumed that it is the duty of a husband or wife to procreate and become a mother or father.
While the sitcom family remains the utopian nuclear family, it is hardly a reality. The Millers (Still Standing), the Simpsons (The Simpsons), and the Griffins (Family Guy) all have a husband, a wife, and three children. As seen by the results of my survey, none of the subjects had three children in their family. Some participants had more than three children and some had less. In fact, the only person who had three children was Mr. Bailey. But his children were “adopted” dogs. The TV sitcom representation of the nuclear family needs to change to better represent the actual composition of families.
I found it rather unfortunate that I could not find any participants between the ages of 13 and 21. It would have been nice to have a different perspective. It would have also been interesting to hear how young people perceive their role in the family, whether it was son, daughter, brother, sister, etc.
When I spoke with Mr. Bailey, he was very interested to hear about my background. I told him about growing up with parents, sibling, aunts, uncles, and cousins all in the same home. I also mentioned that my home consists of three generations (my mother, her daughter, and her grandson). It is also interesting how in American culture, family is separated into spheres of relations. For example, there is the immediate family, then cousins, second cousins, etc. In Mexican culture, it is immediate family, and then everyone is a cousin, aunt, or uncle. Mrs. Bailey is of Japanese ancestry. She mentioned that it is very similar to Japanese culture.
Mr. Bailey’s family serves as an example of the ever changing family composition. There is no one size fits all family. It doesn’t matter that his children are of a different species. In addition, families are becoming less patriarchal as they begin to also acknowledge the maternal line.
Source: Conformity and Conflict, James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 187 – 184)
Cultural Anthro, Richard Robbins (p. 109 – 129)
Irvine Spectrum Center
Relation: As Robbins explains, the nuclear family is “the group consisting of a father, a mother, and their biological or adopted children,” (Robbins 111). There are two ways of observing nuclear family. There is the family of orientation, the family group that consists of father, mother, self, and siblings. There is also the family of procreation, the family group that consists of a husband, a wife, and their children. Many societies were founded on strong familial bonds. But as these societies became greatly interconnected through blood and marriage, the individuals had to find ways to avoid marrying their own family. The incest taboo is “a rule that prohibits sexual relations within certain categories of kin, such as siblings, children, parents, and certain cousins,” (Robbins 116). As seen in the many cultures, individuals trace their matrilineage, the descendents in the female line, or their patrilineage, the descendents in the male line, or both. In the Ratakote village of India, “to make sure incest is impossible, it is also forbidden to marry anyone from your mother’s arak or your father’s mother’s arak,” (Spradley 191).
Description: I left my apartment at approximately 2:00pm on Sunday and headed toward the Irvine Spectrum Center. I created a survey to find out the composition of people’s families. I also wanted to know how people perceived their families. My goal was to interview a diverse group of people and compare and contrast their family compositions. Originally, I intended to interview 10 test subjects. I was only able to find 6 test subjects.
My first was test subject was Jim*. He was enjoying lunch with two of his daughters outside Panda Express. Jim described himself as a father with four children. He did not have any adopted children. Jim perceived his family as a family of orientation. His family traces both matrilineage and patrilineage.
My second test subjects was Kate*. She was sitting on the bench near the carousal with her husband and their daughters. Kate described herself as a mother and housewife with two children. She did not have any adopted children. Kate perceived her family as a family of procreation. Her family traces only patrilineage because they are unable to determine her mother’s back ground.
My third test subject was Jane Smith*. She was rocking her granddaughter in a stroller across from Dave & Buster’s. Jane described herself as a mother, housewife, and breadwinner with two children. She did not have any adopted children. Jane Smith perceived her family as a family of procreation. She only traces patrilineage.
My fourth test subject was Mr. Bailey*. He was seated with his wife and their three “adopted children” at a table across from Dave & Buster’s. He described himself as a husband, provider, and protector. He and his wife do not have any biological children, but they refer to their three dogs as their “adopted children.” Mr. Bailey perceived his family as family of orientation. Unfortunately, he is unable to trace both his patrilineage and matrilineage because he is the product of Holocaust survivors.
My fifth test subject was Mr. Crabtree. He was seated outside Target with his wife and friend. He described himself as a father with two children. He does not have any adopted children. He perceived his family as one of procreation. In his family, they trace both matrilineage and patrilineage.
My sixth test subject was Frank Lee*. He was seated next to Target with his friends. He described himself as a father. He has one biological child and four adopted children. He perceived his family as one of procreation. His family also traces only patrilineage.
*All test subjects’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Commentary/Analysis: I found the differences in roles between the two roles quite interesting. The women were very quick to add that they were also housewives. On the other hand, the men were quite happy to leave it at father. I wonder why women were so insistent on including housewife. Is it some form of respect for their husband? Or do they feel like it is a title worth displaying? Could it be a form of self subjugation?
It was also very interesting to hear their responses to the question about family of orientation vs. family of procreation. I assumed that people, who described themselves as mothers or fathers, would perceive their families as families of orientation. I also assumed that people, who described themselves as husbands and wives, would perceive their families as families of procreation. The responses were quite the opposite. People who described themselves as mothers and fathers believed that their families were procreative. Mr. Bailey, who answered husband, believed his family to be one of orientation. It could that they heard “family of procreation” and assumed that it is the duty of a husband or wife to procreate and become a mother or father.
While the sitcom family remains the utopian nuclear family, it is hardly a reality. The Millers (Still Standing), the Simpsons (The Simpsons), and the Griffins (Family Guy) all have a husband, a wife, and three children. As seen by the results of my survey, none of the subjects had three children in their family. Some participants had more than three children and some had less. In fact, the only person who had three children was Mr. Bailey. But his children were “adopted” dogs. The TV sitcom representation of the nuclear family needs to change to better represent the actual composition of families.
I found it rather unfortunate that I could not find any participants between the ages of 13 and 21. It would have been nice to have a different perspective. It would have also been interesting to hear how young people perceive their role in the family, whether it was son, daughter, brother, sister, etc.
When I spoke with Mr. Bailey, he was very interested to hear about my background. I told him about growing up with parents, sibling, aunts, uncles, and cousins all in the same home. I also mentioned that my home consists of three generations (my mother, her daughter, and her grandson). It is also interesting how in American culture, family is separated into spheres of relations. For example, there is the immediate family, then cousins, second cousins, etc. In Mexican culture, it is immediate family, and then everyone is a cousin, aunt, or uncle. Mrs. Bailey is of Japanese ancestry. She mentioned that it is very similar to Japanese culture.
Mr. Bailey’s family serves as an example of the ever changing family composition. There is no one size fits all family. It doesn’t matter that his children are of a different species. In addition, families are becoming less patriarchal as they begin to also acknowledge the maternal line.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Soccer Rituals
Topic: Ritual
Source: Conformity and Conflict. James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 310 – 319, 334 – 338)
“TV3 - Crackòvia - Un contra un : Sergio García.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IladmhdqqwE
“Why were AC Milan wearing white shirts?” http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120328170658AAEzGoy
“Galliani stresses AC Milan will not wear 'unlucky' black jersey again.” http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2012/03/09/2956421/galliani-stresses-ac-milan-will-not-wear-unlucky-black
“Catania Vs AC Milan 1-1 All Goals And Highlights (31.3.12).” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRsHmhdmpwM
“Catania vs. Milan.” http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/source/espn3/#sport/soccer-futbol/type/replay/“Nike Brazilian Soccer Commercial - Long Version.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqm5zavFlM0
Relation: A ritual is defined as “prescribed behaviors in which there is no empirical connection between the means (e.g., tapping home plate three times) and the desired end (e.g., getting a base hit),” (Spradley 312). As seen in professional baseball, many players adopt and discard rituals throughout the course of their careers. After a good performance, they will attempt to recreate the events that occurred prior the game. For example, some players believed that eating pancakes, eating chicken, chewing the same piece of gum, carrying a pebble, getting dressed a certain way, etc. are responsible for their good form.There are several uncontrollable factors in baseball and life. “Routines are comforting; they bring order into a world in which players have little control,” (Spradley 312). Practicing pregame rituals gives players more confidence that luck is on their side. Many players are rather superstitious and believe that this can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Taboos are in fact the opposite. The term taboo “comes from the Polynesian term meaning prohibition,” (Spradley 314). Taboos are rituals and practices that players believe they should avoid if they want to maintain good form. These include but are not limited to crossing bats, having sex, and eating certain foods.
Many professional athletes also engage in fetishes. These charms are “material objects believed to embody supernatural power that can aid or protect the owner,” (Spradley 315). Fetishes much like rituals are expected to bring good luck to the beholder.
Description: It’s Saturday morning and I visit ESPN360.com to watch the much anticipated soccer match between AC Milan and Calcio Catania. As usual, the match officials lead both teams out of the player’s tunnel and onto the field. Both teams line up and wish each other luck. Catania, known as the “Rossazzuri,” is wearing their red- and blue-striped kit. Milan is dressed in the all white kit.
Commentary/Analysis: After reading the chapter titled “Baseball Magic,” I had hoped that I would see similar pregame rituals or fetishes. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any players touching the ground and blessing themselves as they subbed onto the field. Nor did I see players bearing lucky charms in their shin guards. Before, players used to wear gold chains, religious symbols, and earrings. I think this has been disallowed in recent years as a safety measure. I had also hoped to see a scene of the players’ dressing room and viewed a spectacle much like the one seen in the Nike commercial. The players sing on the bus to motivate themselves and pray for a great match and safety before going onto the pitch.
The most noticeable fetish I saw was the numbers on the players’ backs. Players and coaches often believe the certain numbers are reserved for certain positions. For example, the number 9 is given to a prolific goal-scorer, the number 10 is given to a playmaking midfielder, the numbers 2, 3, and 4 are given to rock-solid defenders, and the number 1 is given to a shot-stopping goalkeeper. El Shaarawy, the Milan forward, wears the number 92. I assume he chose this number because he was born in 1992.
Milan wore white for this match because they are the visiting team. But on March 28th, Milan hosted Barcelona at the San Siro (Milan’s home stadium). During this match, they also wore white as opposed to their red- and black-striped home kit. Upon doing further research, the club believes this to be their lucky uniform. They have won more UEFA Champions League Finals while wearing their away kit than their home kit. In addition, when they wore an all black kit against Arsenal FC a few weeks ago, they were severely defeated at the Emirites Stadium. Shortly after the result, Milan’s CEO Adriano Galliani attributed the loss to the “unlucky” black jersey and promised that the team would never wear it again, (Galliani).
When I played soccer for my high school years ago, I had rituals that I believed were partly responsible for my good form. For example, I would drink 64 oz. of water the night before the game. I knew this would help me stay hydrated during the game and improve my performance. Before home games, I would rub my hands in the wet grass and rub the moisture into my hair and dry my hands on my jersey. I am unsure of the purpose of this ritual, but that did not prevent me from doing it before each home game.
During warm-up drills, I would do fancy passes and often fail at them. My teammates always asked me “Why do you try these things that you will never do in the game?” I would always respond “I am getting all the bad ones out now.” Somewhat opposite of the belief that bats have a set number of hits, I believed that I had a set number of bad kicks. This routine would ensure that I saved my best passes for the game where it really matters.
I do recall a taboo I had when playing soccer. I
never looked at the crowd. It was my belief that I was on the pitch to play the
game and any attention given to the crowd was taken away from the game. I believed
that this would result in a crucial error as was the case for one of my
friends. His girlfriend called to him from the stands. As he looked over to
her, an opposing player took an unexpected long shot and scored.
There are also many other taboos that players
practice. One of the major taboos is changing shoes before a game. As I recall,
one of my teammates criticized another teammate for having practice shoes and
game shoes. He believed that the player would not be able to transfer the experience
acquired using the practice shoes to the game if he changed his shoes.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Communication Breakdown
Topic: Communication Technology
Source: Conformity and Conflict, James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 79 – 87, 335)
“Anthropological Introduction to YouTube.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU
Facebook posts. www.facebook.com
Text messages sent and received.
“☆Guide to Asian Emoticons☆.”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifA1AQe_NF0
Relation: The “hypermobility myth” is the belief that when people have access to work while traveling, they will work more. The rapid advances in communication from fixed-lines phones to cell phones, desktops to laptops, snail mail to e-mail, etc. have certainly increased the level of accessibility of work for business people. But traveling does not provide a comfortable work environment. As Ms. Broadbent points out “Hotel rooms and airports are…‘not seen as an appropriate environment for substantive work’ and are mainly used for e-mail,” (Spradley 81).
The author also mentions how each communication device has a specific role. The fixed-line phone connects different households together. The cell phone is used for last minute logistics. Instant-messaging and voice-over-internet calls are used for multitasking.
Communication is important to the creation and maintenance of culture. Customs, practices and rituals were created by individuals in society. They were adopted within the society and communication allowed them to be passed on as the society progressed. For example, in the case of the Nacirema, “However, the medicine men do not provide the curative potions for teir clients, but decide what the ingredients should be and then write them down in an ancient and secret language. This writing is understood only by the medicine men and by the herbalists…” (Spradley 335-336). Only the medicine men and herbalists use the ancient, secret language. Communication needs a sender, a message and a receiver. Without all three parts, communication cannot occur.
Description: It’s Saturday morning and I begin my day. After walking the dog and getting ready for the day, I press the power button on my laptop. The green light power light flashes as the system boots up. I log into my computer and run Mozilla Firefox. Yahoo! is my home page. I open up multiple tabs and enter the following sites: FaceBook, EBay, Goal.com, HSU e-mail, HSU Moodle, UEFA.com, ESPN360.com, and YouTube.
I read a few posts on FaceBook. One reads “do laundry then go to u.s. cellular :).” Many of my friends post photos of recent activities. One photo looks like a group of friends enjoying dinner together. There are several photos from the AC Milan Fans Club of Pato and other Milan stars. People also share a lot of funny jokes and images. There is one of what looks like a popular TV star with an “epic” quote under him as if he is saying it.
After visiting FaceBook and EBay, I visit Goal.com to read the latest soccer news. Seeing no funny or exiciting soccer news to post on my brother’s FaceBook wall, I log into my HSU-e-mail. There are several updates about the discussion forums for BA 949. Then I log into HSU Moodle and visit BA 494. I also visit BA 104 to see if people have responded to my posts and comments.
I visit UEFA.com and ESPN360.com to see if there are any upcoming football fixtures. I then visit YouTube to watch a few episodes of Kenichi: Mightiest Disciple. Then I watch the following videos: “muay thai fail,” “Me estan matando Versión Metal,” and “El pendejo que se cree Goku.”
Commentary/Analysis: Communication binds individuals in society together. It is also how cultures are created and passed down. Many cultures communicate in different ways. The most noticeable difference in cultures is often language. Some cultures are more dependent on sign and body language than others.
I speak to my friends in English. My tone is lower and I speak slowly. My body language is very relaxed. But when I speak Spanish to my parents, my tone rises and I speak faster. I also tend to use my body more in communicating. I will use my hands to emphasize phrases and even my fingers draw pictures in the air.
In the text, Mellor states that IM is used by people multitasking. In my life, FaceBook occupies that role. I may be logged in most of the day, but only visit the tab when I have received notifications, messages, or when I want to post on my wall or other people’s walls.
It is interesting how the author mentions the “most aggressive” adopters of new technology are immigrants. I think that may be the case in Europe and Asia. But in Mexico, fixed-lines are most common followed by cell phones. I recall having a conversation with a friend from Mexico who informed me that he had recently gotten access to internet at home. They had to run a direct line from Mexico City to his home in Sonora.
I also found it interesting how use of devices varies between genders. I recall when I got my first cell phone. I didn’t like texting. It took longer to receive and respond than a phone call. But the majority of my friends engaged in texting. I had to adapt to text. In my experience, texting is not efficient for logistics. I recall setting up meeting times with friends. I would respond “Be there in t < 5 min.” I would always arrive and have to wait for 5-10 minutes because they would say “I looked at the text a few minutes after I received it. I assumed you meant 5 minutes from then.”
I am still amazed at the different communication styles between genders in text messages. From my experience, women tend to use emoticons more than men. They also use upper- and lower case letters to emphasize words and phrases. Women put a lot of emotion into text messages. Men are not so enthusiastic. With regard to emoticons, different cultures also use different emoticons. For example, in America, we say “hello.” In England, they say “o/.” This gives the appearance of a person waiving. In Japan, they have very complex emoticons. In addition, they like to use kitty emoticons “=^.^=.”
The rise of smart phones such as the BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android, has enhanced the ability to communicate. When smart phones first came out, I was skeptical about camping in the parking lot of my wireless service provider to get a smart phone. However, now that I have one, I cannot see myself without it. Many of my computer’s functions are now found in my cell phone. A few of the tasks I can do on my phone include but are not limited to online banking, complete last minute purchases, watch videos on YouTube, and change my FaceBook status. Most importantly, I can check my e-mail anywhere and anytime. This has proven to be most beneficial because I am currently in Irvine. My e-mail account is linked to my phone. I can see upcoming information regarding classes and work. I can also reply to e-mails.
YouTube has revolutionized the way people communicate. As seen in “Anthropological Introduction to YouTube,” people communicate to a worldwide audience. They have never had face to face interactions with the majority of their audience. It has changed the way people communicate. People have found celebrity stardom through YouTube. Soulja Boy and Edgar (La Caida de Edgar) are just two examples of people whose careers started because their videos reached worldwide audiences.
As people from different countries, cultures, races, genders, etc. interact online, we begin to see a world culture. The current level of communication between people around the world is unprecedented. It will be interesting to be part of this ever changing landscape of communication and interaction.
Source: Conformity and Conflict, James Spradley and David W. McCurdy (p. 79 – 87, 335)
“Anthropological Introduction to YouTube.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU
Facebook posts. www.facebook.com
Text messages sent and received.
“☆Guide to Asian Emoticons☆.”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifA1AQe_NF0
Relation: The “hypermobility myth” is the belief that when people have access to work while traveling, they will work more. The rapid advances in communication from fixed-lines phones to cell phones, desktops to laptops, snail mail to e-mail, etc. have certainly increased the level of accessibility of work for business people. But traveling does not provide a comfortable work environment. As Ms. Broadbent points out “Hotel rooms and airports are…‘not seen as an appropriate environment for substantive work’ and are mainly used for e-mail,” (Spradley 81).
The author also mentions how each communication device has a specific role. The fixed-line phone connects different households together. The cell phone is used for last minute logistics. Instant-messaging and voice-over-internet calls are used for multitasking.
Communication is important to the creation and maintenance of culture. Customs, practices and rituals were created by individuals in society. They were adopted within the society and communication allowed them to be passed on as the society progressed. For example, in the case of the Nacirema, “However, the medicine men do not provide the curative potions for teir clients, but decide what the ingredients should be and then write them down in an ancient and secret language. This writing is understood only by the medicine men and by the herbalists…” (Spradley 335-336). Only the medicine men and herbalists use the ancient, secret language. Communication needs a sender, a message and a receiver. Without all three parts, communication cannot occur.
Description: It’s Saturday morning and I begin my day. After walking the dog and getting ready for the day, I press the power button on my laptop. The green light power light flashes as the system boots up. I log into my computer and run Mozilla Firefox. Yahoo! is my home page. I open up multiple tabs and enter the following sites: FaceBook, EBay, Goal.com, HSU e-mail, HSU Moodle, UEFA.com, ESPN360.com, and YouTube.
I read a few posts on FaceBook. One reads “do laundry then go to u.s. cellular :).” Many of my friends post photos of recent activities. One photo looks like a group of friends enjoying dinner together. There are several photos from the AC Milan Fans Club of Pato and other Milan stars. People also share a lot of funny jokes and images. There is one of what looks like a popular TV star with an “epic” quote under him as if he is saying it.
After visiting FaceBook and EBay, I visit Goal.com to read the latest soccer news. Seeing no funny or exiciting soccer news to post on my brother’s FaceBook wall, I log into my HSU-e-mail. There are several updates about the discussion forums for BA 949. Then I log into HSU Moodle and visit BA 494. I also visit BA 104 to see if people have responded to my posts and comments.
I visit UEFA.com and ESPN360.com to see if there are any upcoming football fixtures. I then visit YouTube to watch a few episodes of Kenichi: Mightiest Disciple. Then I watch the following videos: “muay thai fail,” “Me estan matando Versión Metal,” and “El pendejo que se cree Goku.”
Commentary/Analysis: Communication binds individuals in society together. It is also how cultures are created and passed down. Many cultures communicate in different ways. The most noticeable difference in cultures is often language. Some cultures are more dependent on sign and body language than others.
I speak to my friends in English. My tone is lower and I speak slowly. My body language is very relaxed. But when I speak Spanish to my parents, my tone rises and I speak faster. I also tend to use my body more in communicating. I will use my hands to emphasize phrases and even my fingers draw pictures in the air.
In the text, Mellor states that IM is used by people multitasking. In my life, FaceBook occupies that role. I may be logged in most of the day, but only visit the tab when I have received notifications, messages, or when I want to post on my wall or other people’s walls.
It is interesting how the author mentions the “most aggressive” adopters of new technology are immigrants. I think that may be the case in Europe and Asia. But in Mexico, fixed-lines are most common followed by cell phones. I recall having a conversation with a friend from Mexico who informed me that he had recently gotten access to internet at home. They had to run a direct line from Mexico City to his home in Sonora.
I also found it interesting how use of devices varies between genders. I recall when I got my first cell phone. I didn’t like texting. It took longer to receive and respond than a phone call. But the majority of my friends engaged in texting. I had to adapt to text. In my experience, texting is not efficient for logistics. I recall setting up meeting times with friends. I would respond “Be there in t < 5 min.” I would always arrive and have to wait for 5-10 minutes because they would say “I looked at the text a few minutes after I received it. I assumed you meant 5 minutes from then.”
I am still amazed at the different communication styles between genders in text messages. From my experience, women tend to use emoticons more than men. They also use upper- and lower case letters to emphasize words and phrases. Women put a lot of emotion into text messages. Men are not so enthusiastic. With regard to emoticons, different cultures also use different emoticons. For example, in America, we say “hello.” In England, they say “o/.” This gives the appearance of a person waiving. In Japan, they have very complex emoticons. In addition, they like to use kitty emoticons “=^.^=.”
The rise of smart phones such as the BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android, has enhanced the ability to communicate. When smart phones first came out, I was skeptical about camping in the parking lot of my wireless service provider to get a smart phone. However, now that I have one, I cannot see myself without it. Many of my computer’s functions are now found in my cell phone. A few of the tasks I can do on my phone include but are not limited to online banking, complete last minute purchases, watch videos on YouTube, and change my FaceBook status. Most importantly, I can check my e-mail anywhere and anytime. This has proven to be most beneficial because I am currently in Irvine. My e-mail account is linked to my phone. I can see upcoming information regarding classes and work. I can also reply to e-mails.
YouTube has revolutionized the way people communicate. As seen in “Anthropological Introduction to YouTube,” people communicate to a worldwide audience. They have never had face to face interactions with the majority of their audience. It has changed the way people communicate. People have found celebrity stardom through YouTube. Soulja Boy and Edgar (La Caida de Edgar) are just two examples of people whose careers started because their videos reached worldwide audiences.
As people from different countries, cultures, races, genders, etc. interact online, we begin to see a world culture. The current level of communication between people around the world is unprecedented. It will be interesting to be part of this ever changing landscape of communication and interaction.
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