IHSS Blog 2020-2021

Movies are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world with millions of people around the world heading to movie theatres to catch the latest blockbuster. Despite the high number of people watching movies, not many people seem to know the exact reason why they seem to enjoy watching movies so much. An article by Brett McCracken addresses some of the reasons why movies are enjoyed by so many people. One of the reasons is that movies tend to function as a "window" into a new world. The worlds depicted in movies are vastly different from real life which many people find intriguing and would want to learn more about that "world". On top of that, our minds are built to learn more, and these "worlds" created through the screen are something new for us to learn more about. The article also talks about how movies capture the world in ways no other medium can. Unlike books, that use your imagination to picture the image inside your head about what i...

 Why do teens search for so much validation from their peers, whether it be online or in-person? Teenagers are always seeking for peer validation, this can come from social media platforms, friends, parents, and/or form themselves. Not having this validation can lead to depression, developing eating disorders, and anxiety. It is important to teach teens that they don't have to fit in with the norms that society puts on everyone, also that they don't need to be liked by everyone.  For teens, it is really important to know that they fit in somewhere. Some ways to let a teen know that they are validated are: if your a parent telling them that you are proud of them, not scolding them any moment that they make a mistake. In social media, teens are validated by the number of followers and likes they get on their posts. Social media had its negative affect like cyberbullying, not having enough likes, and getting addicted; it also has its benefits: it allows for shy teens to be more o...

Katie Vojvodic  David Roddy  IHSS A  9/24/20  Why Do We Have Pets?      In millions of households across the United States, a few family members stick out among the furless, bipedal creatures we call humans. Whether it be a furry floof (like a poodle dog or tabby cat), an avian entity (like a parakeet or cockatoo), or a scaly creepy-crawler (like a gecko or bearded dragon), over 65% of Americans own pets. The question is, why? How did keeping domesticated animals in our homes become the norm? Thanks to my extensive research, we might finally have the answer to that pressing question.     According to an article by animalfreedom.org , one of the main reasons that people keep pets is for companionship. Some even go as far as to use the companionship they get from pets in place of a relationship with a partner or family member. It is true that dogs have been proven to be able to detect human emotion and provide comfort, so I am not surprised....

Why do we decorate our homes? Why do we choose a decorative life style, instead of one just for basic needs? One article says that we didn't used to do it as much, but due to an increase in travel, for various reasons, and people not staying in one place for too long, we try and make it seem as much like home wherever we are. Even though there are physical walls in place, it isn't home until it has recognizable objects in it.  Humans are creatures that rely heavily on our visual sense, so when a person sees something that they are familiar with, it helps them relax and feel at home. Another example of how and why we decorate is using an old item that belonged to a family member or a friend. This can bring up an emotion and that can make us feel safer and more "at home". People also have a need to express themselves in some way and decorating their homes is one of the ways that people do that. Many people want to feel unique and stand out in some way. So, when they hav...

  Why do we play so many video games? Sure, it might be a form of entertainment but it isn’t a physical exertion so it isn’t required for our bodies, in fact it probably hurts physical health more than anything. It might help mental health more because you don’t need to be thinking when playing some video games, such as a free roam game. It takes our minds off of things that might be going on in real life, just like how music helps some people. I personally play a lot of video games for personal enjoyment, and to get closer with people at school. People are probably also playing more games than usual because of quarantine -- not being able to go outside as much, and also just having more time than usual. For example, if I finish all my work and I have an hour between classes, I’ll probably just go play Call Of Duty for 45 minutes then go get ready for my next class. I could see some people making a career out of games, and most people dream about it, being able to play games for a ...

  Jayla Balderas  Mr.Roddy IHSS 22 September 2020                                                                                        Why do people tell stories?  Anthropologists believe humans cant exist without stories because whether we know it or not, we consume stories every single day. Unlike long ago when the only way to consume a story was through paper and ink, and before using only words to carry on those tales down to generations. In today's time, society has such a diverse variety of options to choose from. This of course comes with ne...

  Sabrina Gubbels-Wingo Mr. Roddy IHSS  22 September 2020 In Class Discussion: Why do women wear makeup?  A question often asked is that of “Why do women wear makeup?”. Most women like to answer with “It makes me feel confident.” or “It’s a way of expressing myself.”. However, throughout history and throughout societies makeup has been used as a way to make ourselves more appealing to other people. As pointed out by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett in her article “ Why do girls wear makeup? You asked Google - here’s the answer”, “Makeup is so ubiquitous in our society that for a woman to go without it has become, in some cases, a statement – the “ no makeup selfie” being a case in point.”.   As young girls we are often bombarded in books, ads, and even toys, with messages of what it means to look “perfect”, we are taught that makeup is a necessity, and to go without it is  something unusual. The makeup industry uses this social norm to play on insecurities such as...

Kilali Latter Mr. Roddy IHSS 9/21/20 Family Dinners      Something that my family and I do together is eating dinner. Dinner time with my family has always been really important to us, but I realize there are not a lot of people who eat family dinners so I wanted to know why they don’t eat family dinners. One of the main reason is work. Families with dual incomes, single parents, and parents who work late often find it hard to find time to make and sit down for a proper family dinner. Another reason for skipping family dinners is afterschool activities. If children are very preoccupied with afterschool activities then choosing to get fast food is much easier then having to cook and eat a full meal together. The last big reason is technology. With the TV, a computer, and phones around it can be really hard for people to give those up so that they can sit and enjoy a family meal together. There are many reasons for families to not have a family dinner, but there are so many...

 Many teens stay up late talking to people on the phone and doing homework. A lot of times they stay up past their parents and then also wake up earlier for school. This happens because when their parents are asleep they have a lot more freedom. Parents are not at fault during this time. Even good parenting may not help their childs sleep schedule. Teens need more sleep than adults because their brains and bodies are developing. Many schools also start at eight so teens will wake up around six. This is many hours before they should be waking up. Teenagers' biology cannot be changed but a school schedule cannot.  Also, another cause for staying up late is because many of their friends are as well. The ideal sleep schedule for adolescents is from 11pm- 8am.  Resource

Wyatt Quillin Mr. Roddy IHSS 21 September 2020 Dressing Up     Something that's interesting is that we feel the need to dress up and look our best at certain events or for certain people. Dressing up is completely unnecessary to our survival as a species but we still do it because of social reasons, as well as science . " dressing up makes people feel and seem more powerful and impacts their thinking and speech. Subjects in formal clothing spoke more abstractly and less concretely, and this was unrelated to socioeconomic backgrounds." (Linvi) We only dress up when we are going to an event or when we are with someone we are trying to impress or make a positive impression on them. We don't dress up for ourselves when we are at home. Our culture tells us that we need to look presentable when we are in public, or else we are seen as less intelligent or disrespectful.       Our society is strongly based on visual judgement. Depending on what you w...

Everest Leo Mr. Roddy IHSS 21 September 2020 Liking Posts we Don't Like     Everyone knows what social media is, and in every social media there's one common feature. The like, whether it's a thumbs up, a heart or an upvote, every social media platform has some sort of like system. But, is this feature actually used as intended? Many people will like something without thinking about it afterward or even while they press the button. Most of the time, the individual won't actually even think whatever you posted is good, or worth liking. We just press the like button (especially when it's people we know) because it's sort of a social construct. If you see one of your friends posts, you probably wont scroll past without liking it, because they know you've most likely seen their post and it would be akward if you didn't "like" it, as I said, a social construct.     This topic is not discussed much because social medias are so new, but sociology woul...

  Alex Karni IHSS Mr Roddy September 21      Procrastination is something that most or even all humans will/have experience. It's something that comes along with being a teenager. If you do procrastinate, you've probably asked yourself, "Why do I procrastinate so much", or "I know this is bad for me, why do I do it anyways." The reason is because our self controls relies heavily on motivation. When we procrastinate, there are usually certain factors that bring down our motivation like fear of failure or anxiety.  When demotivating factors outweigh our self-control and motivation, we end up procrastinating, either indefinitely, or until we reach a point in time when the balance between them shifts in our favor. Many people think that procrastination is something that you can control but it's far more complex than that. Some people feel  overwhelmed, have a lack of energy, or have ADHD which all play a big part in procrastination. Something tha...

 Why do we wear clothes? Well, there's the obvious reason, protection, but a simple t-shirt from Walmart could do that so why do we spend hundreds of dollars on designer clothing. One reason could be how you grew up, for instance, my style is the same as my oldest brother, and he is the same as my mom's. Who we grow up around, and what people we grow up around influences what kind of style we will have.  The style also represents our economic status, if someone was wearing Louis Vuitton then the assumption would be that they are rich,  but if someone is wearing clothes from a discount shop they would be considered “ poor”. Our clothing alone can tell people a lot about ourselves, bright flashing clothes show you like attention and want to be noticed so we like to build our style from our personality.  Teenagers are always going through different stages, during your teenage years is when you try finding yourself, so this makes sense. I observed people in my middle sch...

       One common thing that most teens have in common is social media. I find that social media is used so much because it connects us to other people through our phones. We use it to keep up with other people and for other people to keep up with us. However, only 17 percent of social media users use social media to share their lives with others. according to a 2017 study, many people use social media as a way to stay informed of current news from around the world. It has become a new way for young adults to learn about current world events and educate them on such matters. Also, 34 percent of social media users say they use social media to mainly find funny and entertaining content. Social media has become a new entertainment system for many kids with apps such as Tiktok and Youtube. 39 percent of social media users say they use it just to fill up their spare time. As you can see, social media is used for a variety of different reasons Although there are only a few...

as humans, one of our first instincts while meeting someone new is to judge. while it's not necessarily on purpose, it's undoubtedly the truth. as a society, we are brought up in a very judgemental world, so naturally, we act accordingly, by making quick judgments, whether they're kind-hearted, petty, or just plain mean, they're a part of our psyche and shape who we are and who we associate ourselves with. "o ur brains are wired to make automatic judgments about others’ behaviors so that we can move through the world without spending too much time or energy on understanding everything we see" is what the article from psychology today states, which i think really encapsulates judgments in the modern world . judgements can become one of three things, helpful, personal or rude. helpful judgments are remarks that help ourselves and others. a helpful judgment would be something like " you're sick, you should head to the doctor's." these not only b...

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  Alex Gross Mr. Roddy IHSS 21 September 2020 IHSS Sociology Blog: Celebrities Why do we worship celebrities? Back 10+ years ago people used to like certain celebrities because of talent which is a very justifiable thing. Nowadays people tend to idolize celebrities, sometimes in unhealthy ways such as wishing they were them, paying LOTS of money to meet them, buying their products, etc. People all over the globe quite literally have access to viewing the social media accounts of celebrities, so this allows many more people to have this temptation. If everyone just collectively stopped supporting a celebrity that was known for their looks, there would be nothing that person could do and they would lose all of their power. Sure art is quite important, but even now artists, singers, and actors could just be forgotten with basically no consequence for the public. The reason I am so interested in why we worship celebrities is because often people end up making themselves sad that they...

Ariela Kluk Mr. Roddy IHSS 9/ 21/2020 Social Reasons behind taking pictures One thing that my friends and I do a lot, is take lots of pictures. Of course everyone takes pictures to remember moments, to look back on and appreciate your life and to have memories. But I am talking about taking 600 pictures of the exact same photo, exact same pose, clothes and background. We take 600 photos so that we can find the one picture we look best in, and post it for other people to see and judge. people post photos on Instagram, Face book or even just around your house for themselves but mainly for other people to see. In the article, number 4 talks about sharing photos and how it gives a person satisfaction. Some say that this is to show other people how great your life is and how happy you are but I personally don't know why I post. It has begun to be part of my life because, for my generation it is considered “weird” not to post on social media. Social media creates an image of you for othe...

                September 21, 2020          Natalie Gross          Mr. Roddy          IHSS                              You probably have a favorite movie, and whether it changes a lot or stays the same you have most                likely seen it multiple times. Every year when Christmas comes you probably watch Christmas                movies. Even though we already know what happens in the movie and how it ends, we still watch                it again and again. Why is that?       One reason could be that picking a new movie is too hard and you can never seem to agree on one. There are just so many options, first...

  Emilio San Vicente  Mr. Roddy HISS 9/21/20 Social meetings   The article that I found has to do with social reasons, especially when a group of people get together for a specific meeting, whether to eat, go to the movies, have a party, etc. This is something that I will go deeply while we go through. Well, some of the observations that I have managed to think of this is that people always have meetings for specific reasons. My observations are that most people do this type of meeting with a reason to strengthen their relationship with family or a friend.  I think this point is very important because it can be appreciated when you are in this type of meeting when people talk about topics which express the interest of other people, such as how are you? Another point and the last one is that I found is the interest that people have when they see that they have something in common. This I just verified with this example: When I got to the United States, my famil...

  Isabelle Saxon IHSS September 21, 2020 Why Do We Use Social Media? Social Media is highly popular and highly conversational, no matter whether you believe it’s good or bad you can’t deny it’s mass infunce. Social Media has become a staple of life for many now more than ever thanks to the pandemic. According to my research 3.8 billion people worldwide that's roughly 10 times the current US population, but why? Why do billions of people use social media? What about it makes it popular, to answer these questions we must turn to Sociology. Sociology studies human interaction and in recent years studying the science of Social Media has become a research popular topic. There are a few different social reasons why we like Social Media, but all of them start with the fact that humans are social creatures. One big reason that we like social media is because it is an easy way to get the interaction and attention that we crave as social creatures. It’s not always easy to see people finding ...

Why is American football so popular in the US and not in any other countries. And what does that say about American culture and why American football has a unique appeal to Americans. So for the purpose of trying to create this sociological lense I took a look at what happens in the average football game and what happens in a typical soccer game. And while I was at it I came to a unique discovery. American Football has only 11 minutes of playtime in the average game and over 100 different commercials. Which leads me to belive that maybe the chosen sport has less to do with what happens in the game and what is being pushed because as I am sure you can imagine 100 commercials are incredibly profitable for news networks as opposed to soccer where its two non stop 45 minute halves with a 15 minute break. In addition to the fact that networks profit more from American Football the lack of actual play time could indicate that american football is more of a social event. And maybe that social...

Sofi Savarese Mr. Roddy  IHSS 9/21/20 Painted nails  Something that is common with many people in society is having painted nails. Depending on the person's preference, there is a variety of nail shapes, patterns, and colors that they could choose from. Sometimes, if the person wants their nails to look professional, they will go to a nail solan to get them done. This can be very expensive, so if a person prefers not to go to a solan, nail polish is also sold separately. This is less expensive and a lot easier, so some people decide to paint their nails themselves. Depending on the person, there are many reasons why a person paints their nails. For me, I think that it looks much better compared to what my normal nail looks like. I also think that you can incorporate a color that you like into your "outfit" much like someone might wear their favorite color shirt. Many women also like to paint their nails because they think that it is more attractive. I also found an articl...

A hand shake is commonly seen as a polite greeting and most of the time done on instinct. But is this really an instinct or is it an action we've seen play our so many times it's become second nature? Usually this form of greeting is the first interaction and impression of the person your greeting. Although it may not seem significant bad handshakes leave a bad impression, shaking hands with a sweaty palm, a grip too strong, or a handshake with poor eye contact can set the entire meeting downhill. Why are handshakes so complicated? How come we continue using handshakes as greetings? Why is the perfect execution of this greeting so hard accomplish? Who created this high steak greeting?  The root of all hand shaking is believed to be found when an Assyrian King closing off an alliance with a Babylonian leader. Later it was also seen on Greek gravestones. it would depict the living shaking hands with their deceased family member "signifying either a final farewell or the eter...

It all started in the good old days, when I had nothing to do, and what might a mellow child like myself do to fill that empty space, sleep. After time, I started to crave it in uncomfortable situations, and with it came, fatigue, and a careless personality. When thinking of why I still do this there is an obvious answer, "because I am tired". Instead of this, I believe that I over sleep when I am going to go somewhere stressful, and use it as a "natural excuse". Its hard to explain, but think of this, I can hear the alarm in my sleep state, and I decide that it wouldn't be good to go through with the alarm. Another reason for this is mental illness, which is a whole other thing. In summary we might over sleep coping mechanism.  Article:  https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/07/16/yes-you-can-sleep-too-much-heres-why-oversleeping-is-a-problem/?cn-reloaded=1

  Nora Mayral Boyle Integrated History and Social Sciences Dr. Roddy 21 September 2020 The Sociology in Reading Books We read on a daily basis, to the point where we don’t even have to try. If our eyes even catch a tiny bit of text, we will automatically read them. Most of us, I’m sure, love to read books. For the most part, they provide us with a great amount of mental stimulation, especially when reading fiction stories like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. These books create a whole new world for their readers to explore and enjoy. It’s free entertainment. With enough imagination, as you read you can almost see/image the story unfold before your eyes(or brain?).For many people, reading is an escape from the real world, and even for those that just read for fun- reading can provide a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. Some people may read to learn how to write better, expand their vocabulary. While the idea of simply wanting to read may seem simple, whether you’re consci...

  Why do I play tennis? Well, It’s been a central part of my life growing up. My father was a tennis player throughout highschool and his adult life, and he heavily inspired me to start playing myself. Tennis has given me a passion, a sport to care about. When everyone in my middle school was joining a sports team, it’s what I chose. Playing tennis allowed me to have a community of friends to talk to while I practice something I love. Many say there are other benefits to playing tennis, like being smarter, living longer, and problem solving skills. All good things to have, especially along with staying in shape. Other people find connections too, and foster communities through the sport. Overall, it’s just something that brings people together while creating friendships and long-lasting benefits.

 One thing that my family and I do is watch sports. Watching sports brings us together and it's a fun family activity. It has also made me some friends from the past few years. Sports creates conversations by providing common ground, and unified sense of purpose. Some of the players that play sports are great role models for their team or the community. Sports also collect people from different classes and backgrounds. An example would be Nav Bhatia. He is the biggest Toronto Raptors fan and possibly the biggest basketball fan. He has attended every home raptors home game since 1996. Even though he's a fan he is known all across the NBA. He's made thousands of friends and he has even made friends with a lot of Raptors players and staff.  

    Videogames      Videogames is something I do almost everyday. Usually, I play with either friends from school, out of school, or just random people I meet. I think the main reason that I enjoy playing videogames is not neccesarily that I have fun playing the videogame but moreover that I enjoy speaking and playing with friends. Oftentimes if I'm playing alone the game gets very boring very fast so I try my best to find someone to play with. Usually if I have no one to play with I'll decide to stop playing untill someone decides to get on.       In an article from Pew Reasearch Center, Amanda Lenhart explains that Video Games play a vital role in the developemnt in most boy's friendships. She explains that 84% of boys play videogames and that most often they will play with other people. Usually, while they are playing they are conversing. Their conversations are not only about the game but also about each others days and events happening i...

Andy Walsh Mr. Roddy IHSS September 21 2020 Sociology Blog - Fitness  I have always asked myself this question: Why do people exercise and when did people start to exercise? There are many reasons why people exercise. It improves your overall health, it improves your physique, it makes you happier, it helps you sleep better at night and it makes you stronger. So why doesn't everyone exercise? There are so many proven benefits to working out yet some people still don't do it. Many say that it takes too much time, they are too busy, it's too hard, the gym is too far away and they don't need to do it. All of these are excuses that don't make much sense. One of the main drives for working out is to look better. They see a person that is bigger than them or slimmer than them and they say that they want to look like that. So they start to work to look like that person that they saw walking down the street. This is where sociology starts to play a role in their decisions. ...

 Micah Weinstock IHSS Mr. Roddy 9/21/2020 Why Do We Only Speak When Spoken To?     Something that is largely pushed in western culture is the idea of you should only speak when spoken to. But, why is this? While there are many reasons, the main reason pushed is social. In my own observations, when you cut people off and always put your ideas first and foremost, you push people away from wanting to talk to you. In the article I read, this woman stopped talking unless it was essential and cut her words down from 20,000 words a day to 189 words a week. She found that she almost felt guilty as she realized that she rarely ever listened. Instead, she would aways be planning her next words as he was talking. Sociology and psychology may work hand in hand here, as they can look at why culturally and mentally you disconnect when your ideas feel unheard. Of course there is the opposite though. When a close friend of the author had a breakup and the author couldn't talk, she f...

 China's way of celebrating birthdays is a lot different than common traditions in the United States. First off, in china when people are born they are counted as one where in the United States you are born as zero. Furthermore, in China, they only add a year to their age on the Lunar New Year's Day. Chinese children don't typically celebrate their birthday except when they turn 2. During their 2 year anniversary of living, they are surrounded by different objects that symbolize something. For example, an abacus might be placed by the child to show that the child will grow up to be a successful businessman. Other than this one celebration the Chinese don't celebrate their birthdays until they are older. When people turn 60 they have a giant banquet with friends and family. I thought this was very interesting because in the US birthdays are really important and we like to celebrate them every year. In China, birthdays seem to be very traditional and ritualistic. It's...

Kilali Latter Mr. Roddy IHSS 9/13/20 Mentawai Teeth Sharpening In the Mentawai Tribe in Indonesia, a coming of age ritual for girls is teeth sharpening. This is done from ages 10 to 14, so whenever a girl is starting puberty. Teeth sharpening is done by taking a chisel and rock and filing the teeth down to sharp points. This procedure is done without any anesthesia or pain killers and is extremely painful. The only pain relief these girls are given is a green banana for them to bite on. Sharpened teeth are considered to be beautiful in their culture. It is also supposed to attract men, which is why they sharpen their teeth at the age they are supposed to get married. The other reason this ritual is done is to make their inner spirits content. The Mentawai people believe that their souls will leave if they are not content with their body, so this teeth sharpening is done to please their souls and to prolong death. This ritual is very interesting to me. I have never heard of sharpening...