29. January 2010 by student.

“Don’t do drugs.” “Drugs are bad!” “Drug free is the way to be.”  Growing up we are taught that drugs have a negative effect on you and in most cases are illegal.  Teachers talk about drugs with a dramatic tone and encourage kids to stay “above the influence”.  However, as a teen I have found it that drug awareness is a joke for most kids.  This important life knowledge that teachers and adult role models are trying to pound into our heads is hypocritical.  How can they say that drugs are bad yet enjoy drinking a beer at dinner, or a glass of wine with their cheese?  Alcohol is a drug just like marijuana and cocaine.  In fact www.gdcada.org states that “alcohol is a drug-the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the world.”  Alcohol is a depressant and impairs your senses and thought process.  It causes over 100,000 deaths every year and over 17,000 car accidents (www.myaddiction.com).  It tears apart families, and ruins lives forever.  With this being said, I am amazed that alcohol is legal in not only the U.S. but other countries as well.  However, its’ not only legal, but the government allows it to be advertised on TV, billboards, bus benches, t-shirts, EVERYWHERE!  To make matters worse, alcohol is usually displayed in a sexual or positive manner.  The ads and commercials leave you thinking it is cool to drink, and when you do you will be the most popular person around.  Kids are picking up on these ads at a young age, craving a taste of “adult living” their whole life.  Alcohol companies know this too, and as a result are feeding our youth nonsense and lies.  The most disturbing part of this is, those kids, the ones being brain washed my alcohol companies are our future.  If they grow up thinking that this is ok then who knows what is in store for us when they run the country.  I guess what I’m trying to say is if the alcohol is considered a drug, then why don’t we make it illegal like other drugs.  Why do we use it to benefit our economy, yet allow it to destroy lives and our future?

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

29. January 2010 by student.

Society- a body of people where everyone is a critic and no one can escape the judgment of others.  When you think about it, no one can escape the evil critics of society.  Everywhere you go you are being watched, analyzed, and judged.  Whether it is based on your clothing, physical appearance, location you live, the car you drive, or the bling you wear, you will be judged.  Society has created a monster making people insecure about all aspects of their life.  Since we were young people have been telling us that judging people on their appearance is cruel and harmful, yet every month when the new People magazine comes out everyone lines up to get it.  The new trends, styles and hot gossip keeps people coming back for more.   It entertains us and allows us to focus on other people’s lives instead of our own.  Media has corrupted society by being the instigator and head critic.  Magazines such as People, present us with the idea that gossip and being judgmental is ok.  We are constantly judging the celebrities and what’s happening in their lives.  Placing titles on people like Paris Hilton as promiscuous, and Carrie Underwood as “The American Girl” becomes routine, almost a hobby.  We then carry these titles over and apply them to people relevant in our life.  We have rockers, scene folk, church goers, activist, government officials, and nobodies.  All of these titles are seen as personality classification, or in one word, judgment.            

Judging someone during a first impression is something most everyone does.  However, by doing this the individual is hurting themselves by closing the door to a potentially awesome relationship.  I’ve always said that everyone has something to teach you, but it’s your responsibility to allow them the opportunity to.  Most life skills are introduced by others in unobvious ways.  For example, I learned the importance of being honest and taking chances due to life situations I experienced with my friend Alvin.  If I went off my first impression of him, we probably wouldn’t be as close as we are now.  I believe that it is important for others to be open-minded about people and place themselves in their shoes before passing judgment.  I would like to urge everyone to ignore societies evil criticism and focus more on the individual inside.  With this being done there is no doubt in my mind that the world will be a better place.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »