Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Observation journal #3
This past weekend I went back home for the long weekend and noticed something that we have been talking a lot about in the past few weeks. While in class we talk about how we don't see any diversity in Burlington and how we need to get more to be a more rounded society. While at home, I really started to notice how everyone is the same in my town. We have virtually zero diversity since the one black person in my town moved away, and we all think alike. Every person on the past weekend seemed to be walking around in their work cloths and was getting ready for the winter ahead, myself included. I'm not one bit saying this is a bad thing that everyone in my town was doing the same thing but this is where my ethnocentric thoughts really started to come into play. While I'm home I automatically go back into my redneck thinking and seem to enjoy myself a lot more. I feel like I can have more fun and be free with what I say and do without having someone down my throat yelling at me or calling me racist, narrow minded, a redneck, etc.. When in classes it seems that ethnocentric thoughts and others like them are looked down upon because if you think like this you aren't seeing the world around you and aren't open to new ideas and ways. Well from observing the way my attitude changed just in the drive back to Burlington I have to disagree with some people and say that ethnocentric thoughts are good. While thinking like this it seems like its the only time I'm happy because I can be myself, an individual, which is what most people want to do. However, you cant do this when you have to worry about what your saying or who you will piss off whenever you open your mouth.
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2 comments:
Hmmm, that is an interesting outlook. The way I see it, ethnocentric thoughts are judgments made by yourself about other people's culture based on your own. I understand when you say that you feel more comfortable in your hometown. It is something that is familiar to you, as well is mine. I also notice how my comfort factor changes depending on the place and situation I am in. My actions also change. It is just normal human behavior. Hopefully there is a way to learn how to feel comfortable all the time, and get your point across without seeming racist, sexist, etc... Maybe through these observations journals we will learn how to do this. It will at least give us some insight if it doesn't totally help us to learn how to feel comfortable in different situations talking about social subjects.
Immediately upon arriving in New Jersey I started connecting what we were learning in class. Mine were somewhat opposite of yours. The area I live in is rich in diversity. I was comforted by all the diverse community we live in. I find it frustrating in class when we are primarily white. Being surrounded by diversity helps me feels I am being more openminded, and learning things about other cultures. I understand that there are certain things you want to say are not appropriate to say in Burlington, but it seems you are questioning your views after taking this class.
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