El Fin

A final entry:

“Race is an inaccurate description or explanation of human biological variation.

Race is the partitioning of people arbitrarily into groups using biological and

cultural characteristics. Humans are actually more alike than they are different.”  -RACE (a program in place to lessen discrimination) go here for more information: http://www.understandingrace.org/home.html

3a.) Race is not biological. If it were biological we could determine a person’s race by simply studying their genes. But no specific gene codes for a specific race. Race is simply a classification of people with similar characteristics such as skin color and hair type. Society has created this misconception that race is in our genes. The sociological definition of race is the way we view a person and the way our mind consciously or unconsciously puts them in certain categories. I may decide that a woman is African American but she could indeed be from Latino background.  Read this article to simply learn about race: (http://www.understandingrace.org/resources/pdf/family_guide.pdf)

3b.) The IAT test or Implicit Association tests showed that I have a slight preference toward Caucasian individuals. This test focused on our minds subconscious and conscious view between black and white people with positive and negative words. I feel like the quick speed of the test only took away from the accuracy because people did not have time to sift through their true feelings about the person and/or word associated with him/her. I am not surprised that I have a slight preference for Caucasian individuals because I am white myself. People tend to gravitate toward people similar to them. For example, people with in common economic and social classes, with skin color, and with common interests are attracted to one another.

3c.) It is proven that African Americans are not biologically superior athletes because there is no gene that is linked with skin color and increased muscle mass, for example. However it is obvious that African descendents do perform better in sprinting and other athletics. This is due to the culture. Athletic ability is a great stress in African American culture. Many revolve their meal planning, exercise, and habits around there athletic training. In this way, the African American race does commonly prove to get ahead athletically.

4.) While taking my sociology class and reading articles about our society, I have picked up on a few things. First of all, I notice that I may have less control of my own life then I would like to think. The way I was born and brought up has such a large impact on my present and future life. Also, I found it interesting that wealth is accumulated generation from generation. It is very rare for a person to climb up the social latter even if they work hard. I have become less biased and like look at things on a larger scale overall. For example, I realize that my idea of proper grammar is different than Southerners or African Americans (habitual “be”). Overall, the class has opened my eyes and the articles I’ve read are quite fascinating.

The Food Movement

   In the Newsweek article Divided We Eat, Lisa Miller explains how America’s food consumption depends on multiple factors such a social class and personal views. In class we are watching a informational documentary concerning the social structure and stratification in American Society. The way food is consumed by Americans directly shows the differences in class. Miller writes, “What this means, in practical terms, is that the richest Americans can afford to buy berries out of season at Whole Foods…while the food insecure often eat what they can: highly caloric, mass-produced foods like pizza and packed cakes that fill them up quickly.” 

   So yes, the rich have more diverse and healthy options for their children.  They use it to show off and flaunt their lifestyle. Like Miller says, “Food is no longer trendy or fashionable. It is fashion.” And the lower class tends to rally toward the more sweet and unhealthy food. Is it an issue of values within a different culture? Does the upper class simply have more time to prepare a home cooked meal every night? So many factors may contribute to the growing concern.  Miller points out the scary truth, “America is among the most obese of nations; Japan, with its relatively low income inequality, is the thinnest.” So the correlation between social class inequality and obesity is proven.  36% of our nation’s 6-11 year olds are considered over-weight of obese. Even though there are obvious other societal pressures, the main concern is how to stop the growing obesity among the lower class children.

   Can we fill the gap between the food consumers of our country? There are programs set in stone to improve the issue of obesity, especially of our young.  Michelle Obama is a large advocate of anti-obesity campaigns in our present day. She started a campaign in February 2010 called “Let’s Move”. Later that year she proposed to instill dramatic action to build sidewalks, promote breast-feeding, and to ban deep fryers in schools. The following is from this website (http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/05/11/michelle-obama-unveils-anti-childhood-obesity-action-plan/)   and explains her views and ambitions to change the food American children eat. 

“On March 16, Mrs. Obama, appearing before a Grocery Manufacturers Association conference in Washington told the industry representatives, "you all produce much of the food that our children eat -- and have marketed to them -- each day. The decisions you make determine what's in our grocery store shelves, what's in our school lunches, and what's in the thousands of advertisements our kids are exposed to each year. And I know that many of you are undertaking efforts to significantly reformulate your products -- and I hope that the time will come when all of you are." The issue has been recognized by many and changes are starting to occur.

Overall like the interviewee, Pollan, told Lisa Miller in Divided We Eat,

“The food movement is still very young.””