Comments for The Social Periodical http://www.thesocialperiodical.com Facilitating dialogue to promote open and multi-faceted discussion and awareness Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:13:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on The Sprint to Economic Development by Ben Bolet http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/business/the-race-to-development-4/comment-page-1/#comment-2492 Ben Bolet Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:13:42 +0000 http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/business/the-race-to-development-4/#comment-2492 I'd seen this before, wages are a big factor in this which are usually reflective of a nations GDP, like herein Peru minimum wage is S/. 500 (roughly $200) / month. This also has cultural effects, such as families that have owned the title to their house or land for generations and keep passing it down because the current working generation on $200 can barely afford to provide for their family. I believe it's also a big contribution to the 2 class system that although getting better still exists in many Latin American countries. You can't get out of the lower class on this kind of a minimum wage. Things are changing, but it has taken a lot of time for Latin America to develop a middle class. I’d seen this before, wages are a big factor in this which are usually reflective of a nations GDP, like herein Peru minimum wage is S/. 500 (roughly $200) / month. This also has cultural effects, such as families that have owned the title to their house or land for generations and keep passing it down because the current working generation on $200 can barely afford to provide for their family. I believe it’s also a big contribution to the 2 class system that although getting better still exists in many Latin American countries. You can’t get out of the lower class on this kind of a minimum wage. Things are changing, but it has taken a lot of time for Latin America to develop a middle class.

]]> Comment on Keeping Up With the Joneses: The Politics of Choice by Lief Thomason http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/community/keeping-up-with-the-joneses-the-politics-of-choice/comment-page-1/#comment-2425 Lief Thomason Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:32:55 +0000 http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/?p=851#comment-2425 Good observation! In social psychology this need for belonging fuels what is known as group think, which many agree is the catalyst for tragedies like the Holocaust. Now, if this were generally true for all subcultures then the government and local authorities would have a major crisis on their hands. I'm not convinced that drive for social acceptance leads to a George Orwell society. We carry a unique imprint wherever we go; as the individual we are never wholly like everyone else. I won't be you no matter how hard I try. Mark Driscoll refers to these subcultures as tribes (I'm sure he isn't the first). As a pastor, his passion derives from Matthew 28:19, go and make disciples of all nations. You see, he encourages his congregation to remain true to their tribe even after spiritual conversion or second birth. Again, I'm not convinced these tribes are an exclusion of the individual. Social change is a natural movement. Our own desire for said change is fueled by change of the past and we will drive change of the future. No one will stop that. Ever. No matter how many 1984s are written, individuals will not be lost. Our last thought will be our own no matter the impression of society. Everything we receive goes through a filter that is shaped from our personal experience and moderated by our subconscious. I will never be you and no two people will take information the same. So even within the tribe, we are our own experience and decisions, and we are bound to effect the tribe, even in our attempt to conform. Good observation!

In social psychology this need for belonging fuels what is known as group think, which many agree is the catalyst for tragedies like the Holocaust.

Now, if this were generally true for all subcultures then the government and local authorities would have a major crisis on their hands. I’m not convinced that drive for social acceptance leads to a George Orwell society. We carry a unique imprint wherever we go; as the individual we are never wholly like everyone else. I won’t be you no matter how hard I try. Mark Driscoll refers to these subcultures as tribes (I’m sure he isn’t the first). As a pastor, his passion derives from Matthew 28:19, go and make disciples of all nations. You see, he encourages his congregation to remain true to their tribe even after spiritual conversion or second birth. Again, I’m not convinced these tribes are an exclusion of the individual. Social change is a natural movement. Our own desire for said change is fueled by change of the past and we will drive change of the future. No one will stop that. Ever. No matter how many 1984s are written, individuals will not be lost. Our last thought will be our own no matter the impression of society. Everything we receive goes through a filter that is shaped from our personal experience and moderated by our subconscious. I will never be you and no two people will take information the same. So even within the tribe, we are our own experience and decisions, and we are bound to effect the tribe, even in our attempt to conform.

]]> Comment on Same-Sex Parents: Should They Exist in the United States? by anonymous http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/policy/human-rights/same-sex-parents-should-they-exist-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-1601 anonymous Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:19:50 +0000 http://www.thesocialperiodical.com/?p=767#comment-1601 I remember seeing a segment about this while I was at the hospital waiting for two of my friends to deliver their first child. I thought that was interesting. The argument presented at that time was why can't homosexual couples adopt children but be allowed to foster children? They interviewed a homosexual couple that had fostered a child for 10 years and were wanting to adopt the child but weren't allowed. Being someone who has worked with children for years i've seen the problems that breaking up homes can cause in a child's life. It's really traumatic for them. If they have two adults who care for them and their well-being they are well ahead of the game here in the United States and they should be allowed to stay in that loving, caring environment. There are programs that exist to help kids who don't have good families, like christian group homes, that are good HOWEVER nothing will ever compare to individualized attention to parents. Involved parents who spend quality, loving time with their children are the best prevention to things like drug use, teen pregnancy and so many other things. Saying that homosexual parents will turn a child homosexual is absolutely ridiculous. Every homosexual that I know comes from a heterosexual family. They didn't turn their children heterosexual why would a homosexual person turn a child homosexual? The only thing that I could see as a problem with homosexual households would be the importance and benefit of having a strong male and a strong female presence in their home. Again though, a lot of children in the United States live in single parent homes. I remember seeing a segment about this while I was at the hospital waiting for two of my friends to deliver their first child. I thought that was interesting. The argument presented at that time was why can’t homosexual couples adopt children but be allowed to foster children? They interviewed a homosexual couple that had fostered a child for 10 years and were wanting to adopt the child but weren’t allowed.

Being someone who has worked with children for years i’ve seen the problems that breaking up homes can cause in a child’s life. It’s really traumatic for them. If they have two adults who care for them and their well-being they are well ahead of the game here in the United States and they should be allowed to stay in that loving, caring environment.

There are programs that exist to help kids who don’t have good families, like christian group homes, that are good HOWEVER nothing will ever compare to individualized attention to parents. Involved parents who spend quality, loving time with their children are the best prevention to things like drug use, teen pregnancy and so many other things.

Saying that homosexual parents will turn a child homosexual is absolutely ridiculous. Every homosexual that I know comes from a heterosexual family. They didn’t turn their children heterosexual why would a homosexual person turn a child homosexual?

The only thing that I could see as a problem with homosexual households would be the importance and benefit of having a strong male and a strong female presence in their home. Again though, a lot of children in the United States live in single parent homes.

]]>