Save Our Souls

So, the ship is sunk and some people survived. Great, isn't it? However, the problem is that there are still more then 20 people alive, but the only one life boat left, and it can only handle 9 people. This way, every of the survivors faces an important decision: who should be saved, and why? After a conversation in the class, we figured out a group of people who would be saved by us. Let us see, which categories of people did the students choose?

First of all, we tried to choose the survivors because of their skills and experiences. For instance, we saved those people who were former sailors or those who knew much about the "great water" and, this way, could find the way out, the course to go. Another group of people to be saved were those who had the skills in curing others. Among them were some former doctors and nurses, who could probably help in a case of injury or disease. Also, the students would save some physically strong people who would bring the life boat itself in the motion.

However, on the other hand, the students would leave a place on a life boat for those people who are financially prosper. This number includes both just rich ones, and those who promise to give a great amount of money for been saved. This way, we can say that American people value material things really much. Money means quite a lot to them. But, are they the only ones to matter material stuff much today? I think, no. This aspect is nowadays rather important in all the cultures and countries all over the world.

Yes, we made our decision about who should be saved and get a place on the "last chance" life boat. But would it be the same in some other countries? I do not think so as far, as the priority in the choice of survivors in other cultures would differ. Some, probably, would choose whom to save first according to age, or, for instance, according to sex. Anyway, it would depend on the values and, someway, customs of a society and the people.

All in all, the people to survive would differ from community to community, from culture to culture. The decision to leave these or those people on the life boat would depend on what a society value and what kinds of customs, in some way, they have. And who would You give a chance to continue the existence? Think over it, because who knows, what is waiting for us after the next turn on the lifeway.

People: independence or interaction?

What goes around, comes around. Why is it so? The answer is easy: we all are the part of a great system of communication - society. People are created to interact, we look for some support from the side of others daily, in any hard situation. We tend to be in a group, we try to do as many things as possible together; we are made for socialization. It is like a closed circle of interdepending: what starts with You, goes back to You. Most of the people are group-oriented. We tend to stick shoulder by shoulder in difficult life turns. And You know what? It helps us.

 

However, human beings try to show their independence from each other sometimes. Even in some complicated situations, we try to solve a problem by ourselves. Yes, this is the other side of the moon: we want to be self-made and confident in our strength. It happens from time to time and, I think, this is a way to identify our "myself". Yes, by doing things on our own, we find out usually what is our field of interests; we find our own "way to go".

 

All in all, to my mind, people are here to interact with each other and, this way, to build the future for all of us. Every of us needs to be inspired to create something great and new. Moreover, we always need some help from the side of other people - our family, friends, mates and even strangers - to make our ideas real, though even we do not always realize this fact. We are born to be in a society. So, let us face the truth: we do depend on each other, and, people, it is great! Right this way we are who we are! Definitely, this is way to go.

 

P.S.: Tell all the people who are really important and dear to You that You love them. Be thankful and You will receive the same in return. Give others love and care and be loved. This is all that we really need. 

 

 

New Generation

XXI century. The world changes fast. New technologies, new tendencies, new prospective. We are all changing. Can You imagine Your life, for instance, without cell-phones or the Internet? Probably, no. However, it was only a few decades ago when there were no of those things. And people could build their lives, their business and communication without it. There were no computers only 40 years ago!

Today we live in the world of globalization. Cultures mix up, character of an individual changes, our goals and dreams get on the new level. I, personally, can say that everything has changed even comparing to the days of the childhood of my generation. For example, we used to play in the yard together with other kids; we used to go outside daily; we could spend all days long in the street playing, communicating and being active all the time. Now it is changing. I feel so sorry about all the children of contemporary, who spend their early years in front of the blue screens, in front of the "goggle-boxes" and with the cell-phones in their hands.

Technology... A helper or an enemy? It is a very questionable issue. Yes, it makes our lives easier. Yes, it gives us more time to spare. Yes, it relaxes us in some way. However, all this easiness - is it really good and helpful to humanity as a specie? Does not it make us less intelligent and smart as the creatures by giving us an opportunity to do everything instead of us? And, all in all, does not the development of media and tech stop the development of human society, personal individuality and creativity? Does not it stop the process of identifying of ourselves? Probably, it does. This way, what is this all leading to? The new generation which loses the ability to analyze the things, the ability to create. Not everyone, of course, only those masses of people who may continue let the technological progress interrupt the process of their own progress.

So, what will happen to the Earth in just a couple next decades? No one can say for sure. Although, some futurologists try to foresee our future. They claim, that people may come to the process of degradation if they do not change the situation right now. Reading books, developing our creative skills, communicating with each other and studying - these all can save us. We should just find the perspective and go on. All we need is progress. Intellectual progress of the nation, progress of our minds and souls. 

Freaks and Geeks

 

I have recently watched the first episode of the "Freaks and Geeks" show. I found out that it shows a lot of perspectives of sociology, among them: the Theory of Conflict, the Functionalist and Interactionist Theories.

 

For example, in the 1st episode we can watch the conflict of power between Sam with his friends and the group of freaks, who always try to tease the first ones. However, the group of "geeks" together with Sam try to fight for their place in the society and, this way, try to hold on in the group of 3 and help each other. All 3 of them try to work as a team and support each other, they act as the same whole, they understand that every of them has some one special advantage and by sticking together they can compliment each other and act the same as the entire living body. I think, it presents to us the Functionalist Perspective in sociology.

 

Another thing is that we can see the example of the Conflict theory throughout the whole plot of the show itself. The reason to it is that the series show us 2 different groups of people in a small community - the High School - which reflects the whole society in some way. Both of the groups are on the side from common people: "freaks" are some kind of burnouts of the society, while "geeks"  are those who are concentrated on studying or whatever too much. The Conflict between this two classes - here is what the plot of the "Freaks and Geeks" is based on.

 

All in all, "Freaks and Geeks" demonstrates us different perspectives of sociological views on the life and being. Social struggles, which appear in the relationships between the characters of the show, reflex the social struggles in any society. This way, there is some sociological sense in the story the show tells.

 

Who am I?

 

We all, people, are a part of the whole society. Every of us has some special kind of mission in this world. Every of us tries to identify ourselves: we have dreams, create opportunities for achieving our goals, we do what we want to do and, finally, get some results. The whole life way leads every of us to the only one main question: "Who am I in this world? And where am I going?"

 

So, who am I? First of all, I am the creator of my own future. I have a goal and I go straightly to it. I know what I want and it helps me to identify myself. It can seem strange but I adore the process of studying, I love to gain some new knowledge about the world around. I love sports, both play and watch. Now I am in the USA as a foreign exchange student from Ukraine. For me it means really much, and I definitely know, that this is the result of my hard work. I think that 80% of what I get in my life depends on my own initiative and attitude. However, I know for sure also, that there are some people who influence me so, that I am the way I am. Among them - my family, friends, schoolmates, all in all - everyone who is around me. The whole society, we live in, influences us much, sometimes we do not even understand it. It is very important to save Your own face and individuality in the crowd. It is very important to save something that makes You different comparing to other people.

 

Just keep going to Your dream, and find Your own mission in this life. And never give up.