Welfare-Helpful or Hurtful

So I was reading this article on welfare and the myth that welfare is a negative stain on our society.  The article talks about how welfare programs in the United States became popular during the 1930's.   "The years in between were packed with swift and drastic social and economic changes to make Mr. Roosevelt the most controversial figure in American history."

Because of FDR's social programs a lot of the American public place the blame on Democrats for promoting and increasing welfare programs.  But the author argues that Reagan's (Republican) approach  “spider’s web of dependency” failed and Bill Clinton (Democrat) even led  the charge to decrease and end "welfare as we know it.”

In the opinion of the author of this article, The Myth of Welfare's Corrupting Influence on the Poor, Eduardo Porter (the author) argues that the public's opinion of welfare is misguided and that the positives far outweigh the negatives.

What I would like you to do is:

1.  Create a chart or list of 8 myths/8 realities/truths that the author mentions.  (It is the opinion of the author but some of these are good arguments)

2.  Examine Reagan's approach and Clinton's approach and in 200 words tell me if you agree with either of their points.  Your likes/dislikes and if you like a combination approach let me know.
Be able to validate your opinion on the following question in class.  Does welfare corrupt the poor?

In-n-out is not just for burgers!

In and out is not just for burgers, it is also for groups! Sociologists use the terms ingroup and outgroup to refer to groups that you are either a member of or not a member of. It is much easier to feel attached to the groups you are a part of and feel judgmental about your outgroups.

Watch this video clip about the famous "Angry Eye" classroom lesson done in the 1960s by teacher Jane Elliot. Think about how you may have judged out-groups in your own life. Also, think about how you become allied and bonded with your in-groups. Can you see how this happens in society?
Click here for the clip
Can you think of examples in your own life?  You can watch the whole video at Frontline's website.

Summary:    This short clip (Click on picture)demonstrates well  social status, social roles, and role expectations. Also: 1) role strain, or the difficulty of competing demands of motherhood; 2) role conflict, or the difficulty that mothers face in balancing work and family; and 3) status, including privileges extended to mothers because of their position in society.
Click here for momsense 2

    Another interesting discussion could focus on gender role expectations of fathers (Renfroe created a similar rendition called “Dadsense”, with the only words being “go ask your mom”). 

And kids answer back to Momsense
And I can't resist this one
okay payback on the old teacher

Or Tim Hawkins on Teenagers

Status in Society

Your status in society is your defined position-each of these statuses has one or more roles attached to it.

A role is the behavior that is expected of someone who occupies a particular status.

            An ascribed status is one that is assigned-it is not in our control.

            An achieved status is one that we gain by our own efforts

Examples: ascribed-teenager or adult/according to your age. You did not choose this status, it is simply what you are.

                   Achieved-basketball player, Mom, principal

You gained these statuses because of who you are.

Your master status is the greatest role that you play.  It is who you are identified with in society.  (Mom, teacher, wife)

 

Roles:

You occupy a status by the role you play.  Most of the roles you perform have a reciprocal role.  This is a role that goes along with another or compliments another.  For instance if I am a teacher, you are a student.  Ex. spouse.  Other examples:  coach/athlete, parent/child.

 

Socially determined behaviors that go along with a role are defined as role expectations.  These are expected to be performed as part of the role.  For example a doctor is expected to care for his patients, a teacher is expected to teach and care about children. 

 

We all belong to more than one status.  This is known as our role set.  Sometimes a person’s role performance, their actual behavior, does not meet his/her role expectations.  When this happens, role conflict or role strain can occur.  Role conflict happens when it is difficult to fulfill the role expectations of one status because you are trying to complete another.  Role strain happens when a person has trouble meeting the expectations of one role. 

All of your roles in society help to make up various social institutions.  These include education, family, religion, economy and politics. 

 

Sometimes in life your status or role can take a serious turn-sometimes for good and sometimes for bad.  Watch the following ESPN special below.  How did Steve Gleason's status change?  Master Status?  Role?  And it's also a great example of how music can play a role in sociology.
Click here for the full espn report: 

Steve Gleason, Pearl Jam connect

 

Sports and music both have the power to bring people together in real and meaningful ways.

To understand that better, watch this story from ESPN's "E:60" exploring the connection between ex-New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who is fighting ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), and the musicians of Pearl Jam, whose music Gleason has loved since he was a teenager.

You'll see Gleason, who is recording a video journal for his young son, share a powerful moment with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder as they discuss leadership and fatherhood.

Generation Soft or Generation Better-Off

So one topic I have wanted to discuss but have been waiting until the right moment is the topic of participation awards.  I think we have a good enough understanding of culture and society along with Sociology in general to debate this topic.

James Harrison, an NFL player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, made headlines in August when he made his sons give back participation trophies that they had been given. 

This caused a social media uproar.  I would like to know your thoughts.  Has participation awards led to a softer generation/society?  Do you believe participation awards should be given out?  Does the fact that James Harrison's sons are the ages of 6 and 8 make a difference?

Comedian Adam Carolla made headlines when he gave a similar rant a few years ago.  I researched some surveys and other articles and looked at posted comments.  It seems the older generation and millennia's tend to agree with James Harrison.  Look at some of these comments.

Another thought I had is a lot of times at a football or basketball game they give a sportsmanship award to a team.  The thing I notice though is that the majority of the time the award goes to a team that lost or to a player of the losing team.  Sometimes this is deserved but it does seem that a lot of the time it is used as sort of a "good game, better luck next time, thanks for coming, sorry we beat you award."  Anybody else notice this?

Lord Of Flies

Below there are 4 writing prompts dealing with themes in Sociology that can be related to the book "Lord of the Flies."  Write a response to each and then answer the questions from the reading.  Write a response to each prompt with 80 words or more.  You may choose to write on one prompt in 300 words or more if you wish.  (Basically you will have over 300 words total when done)

1.  "Society knows perfectly well how to kill a man and has methods more subtle than death"
     Andre Gide (100 words or more)

2.  If we can't separate our civilized self from our savage self which will take over and why?  (100 words or more)

3.  How is a civilization created?  Are people controlled by society or is society controlled by people?  Be persuasive.  (100 words or more)

4.  On page143-144, Simon has a “conversation” with the Lord of the Flies in which the pig's head "tells" him a number of things – that he is “ignorant”, that he is “not wanted”, and that if he doesn’t do as the LOTF says the boys will “do” (kill) Simon.  The LOF also tells Simon that their would "be fun" on the island and that Simon should understand that he was "not wanted."

What is the LOTF taking about? What has Simon been doing that makes the LOTF angry? Why Simon in particular? Why not any of the other boys?
In sociology context this is really a conversation/battle of good vs. evil.  Think of the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other shoulder (your conscience) telling you what you should or should not do.