Mask Project Reflection
Socialization is the process in which humans are taught certain beliefs and rules of society. This can be taught subconsciously without any realization that it affects the way the world is viewed. There are two different forms of socialization, some believe society doesn’t affect them at all and others believe society determines our every action and reaction. After this project I am more aware of societies affects on my life and came to the realization it might just define almost every aspect of my life. It controls the way I dress, the way I act, the way I speak, even the activities I “enjoy.” The extremity of socialization depends on the individual but to an extent I believe it affects all people.
The mask project was our first big project of the year and consisted of; writing an essay about how you have been positively and negatively socialized, then creating a mask that reflects your essay. My essay was mostly based on stereotypes on gender and class. I was most excited about my mask which reflected certain symbols that were important to my essay. I started off by taking the symbols that represented my life the most, such as the fire and the bandage, and developing ideas around that based on my essay. This includes the grades, the fire, the cracks, and my cloud metaphor. The grades show my socialization around money and how I always am pressured to get good grades and go to a good college. Also, the bandage shows how sometimes I try and cover up the cracks but my pain will never be fully covered and so the cracks still bleed at the bottom. The fire and the metaphor represent society and how it is melting my outer shell. Overall my mask displays the work that I put into my essay and research fairly well.
When writing our essays, the entire class was guided through a certain revision process that allowed little room for error in the final product. In the end everyone had a total of four drafts, all being edited by different people. This allowed us to get multiple forms of feedback and create beautiful work. I personally learned a lot about the revision process. Previously I never really thought revising was a necessary part of the writing process and I never really used it, but I think my biggest takeaway from this project was the skill to revise.
Throughout these first couple months at Animas I am most proud of my realizations. With this project especially I was able to open up my eyes and see that the world isn’t all about getting perfect grades. Its about education and what you do with your knowledge. Even just these simple hand on projects helped me come to this realization. I am looking to improve upon my procrastination the most this year.
The mask project was our first big project of the year and consisted of; writing an essay about how you have been positively and negatively socialized, then creating a mask that reflects your essay. My essay was mostly based on stereotypes on gender and class. I was most excited about my mask which reflected certain symbols that were important to my essay. I started off by taking the symbols that represented my life the most, such as the fire and the bandage, and developing ideas around that based on my essay. This includes the grades, the fire, the cracks, and my cloud metaphor. The grades show my socialization around money and how I always am pressured to get good grades and go to a good college. Also, the bandage shows how sometimes I try and cover up the cracks but my pain will never be fully covered and so the cracks still bleed at the bottom. The fire and the metaphor represent society and how it is melting my outer shell. Overall my mask displays the work that I put into my essay and research fairly well.
When writing our essays, the entire class was guided through a certain revision process that allowed little room for error in the final product. In the end everyone had a total of four drafts, all being edited by different people. This allowed us to get multiple forms of feedback and create beautiful work. I personally learned a lot about the revision process. Previously I never really thought revising was a necessary part of the writing process and I never really used it, but I think my biggest takeaway from this project was the skill to revise.
Throughout these first couple months at Animas I am most proud of my realizations. With this project especially I was able to open up my eyes and see that the world isn’t all about getting perfect grades. Its about education and what you do with your knowledge. Even just these simple hand on projects helped me come to this realization. I am looking to improve upon my procrastination the most this year.
Essay
Imagine closing your eyes for a minute, maybe even an hour. Then you wake up. A tall man stands in your way. A light glows from behind him and it feels just like a dream you once had. He begins to tell you your life principles and all your values. He tells you to change your entire life. But you doubt everything he says and won’t believe a word of it. Why is this any different from your day to day life? Whether you are aware of it or not, this happens every single day it’s exactly what society consists of. All people are socialized in different ways, some more severely than others. For me, society is a thin layer of clouds that will occasionally block out the sun but some of the time keep in the warmth. Throughout the years that I have been socialized, gender has become a major negative form of socialization along with bias against certain class systems.
Socialization can be approached in two different forms. Some argue that society determines all our actions and defines who we are internally, while others believe society has no affect on individuals. I believe there is a happy medium between the two cases. We are our own person and for some people the world around them doesn’t define their actions; but if you re ally think about it society dramatically changes our lives on a daily basis. For example, feral children, small kids that grow up without any human interaction, have a much different take on life and mold to the world around them. Oxanna Malaya is a girl that was abandoned at a very early age and was raised by wild dogs. This proves that we mold to the world around us. If we grow up around dogs our behavior is much like dogs. I believe the same is true in all humans; we act like the world around us. If someone were to do something that was out of the “social norm” they would be treated differently and would quickly correct their abnormal behavior; this is referred to as a negative reinforcement. Positive and negative reinforcements will determine our actions throughout the day, which could restrict us from certain activities that we enjoy doing. Yes, society does play a huge role in our day-to-day lives, but does it really define us?
It may not be blatantly evident but society is very literal and set on the fact that women should stay at home and men should go to work. Even though these days’ women have become very independent and are trying to change the beliefs of the society, this set “role” in life is still a major part of the system. Being born into a family where my Mom was the only parent that worked created a lot of confusion in my young years. After a while I got used to the fact my Dad had a physical disability that made him incapable of working and it never crossed my mind as being “abnormal.” Once I got older, I was taught that women normally stay home and take care of the family. Soon I began to think our family was unusual and I never talked about or told anyone that my Dad did not work. Later on in school we started learning about Women’s Suffrage and the years before women were treated with respect. We were socialized to believe the men went to work and the women stayed home. I remember coming home that day and being furious with my dad for not working, I started questioning his role in the family and believing he did nothing for my mom and I. Even to this day I get mad when he calls it his house, his car or his chair because he didn’t pay for it therefore its not “his.” This really shows how twisted society can be and how it can affect certain individuals. Sometimes I don’t even realize what I am saying, but subconsciously I believe my family to be backwards. Over 1.4 million Dads stay at home (National SAHD Network) which makes me question the fact as to why it is considered such a minority in the world. But throughout my years I have been negatively socialized to think the women are the ones to stay at home and the men are suppose to go out to work. This internally lead me to certain biases without even realizing it.
When I began to develop, the more aware I became of class systems and how money affects my life. Even when I was really young I knew what money was and that its purpose was to buy any item. But class systems first became apparent when I got the newest and coolest toy and a couple kids in my 1st grade class never got the toy. I asked my parents why some people didn’t get this new toy and they told me that the kids parents might not have been able to afford it. This new concept was devastating to me, I was having so much fun with this new toy and not everyone could experience this happiness because of his or her parent’s income. Once I got older I was then socialized to believe people without money were not treated the same and not given the same opportunities as the rich. Today the wealth distribution in America is shocking, the top 1% of people take home over 40% of America’s wealth (Wealth Inequality In America, media.). That is 100 times the amount of most lower class citizens! The average middle class American has to work a whole month to gain the same amount of money a wealthy person can make in less than an hour. Lower classes are treated differently by society no matter if it’s a non-removable label or even just a toy it is still part of our everyday lives
I also was socialized to believe money controls the world and someday would control my life. Throughout institutions such as school, students are told to get a good education so that they will get a better job and therefore get more money and a better life. The first 20-30 years of our lives are spent in school, constantly being pressured to get good grades, go to college and strive for a high status career. The average acceptance rate into any IVY League college is between 5-10% of people who apply (US News.) Once out of college, people look for the most high paying job. The last years before I go to college are being spent looking for ways to make more money. Society believes money will fill any void in our lives. This is not the case, even though money might buy fancy things, it doesn’t rule the world. Although we are taught to try and earn the most money possible. For example, this summer I was told to get a part time job to save for a car in the future. At the end of the summer I made X amount of money which I later on used to buy a new phone. Now I had no money and the concept of working hard for my possessions was become more and more obvious. The point is, we are socialized to believe money controls our life and without it society would fall apart. In reality it’s just another broken piece of this system.
Throughout my life many variables have lead to my overall understanding of society but gender and class are the biggest factors when it come to negative socialization. In the past I had no awareness of society's impact on my life, but without it’s constant corrections the world would slowly fall to pieces. The sky would no longer be filled with the “clouds of society” and warmth would be nonexistent. Perhaps some people go day by day without even realizing how they are socialized in the smallest of ways. Whether it is stereotypical male and female roles in society, class systems, or pressure to make more money, these all have a major role in how I view the world today.
Works Cited:
"Socialization Definition." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.
"Countries Compared by Education Average Years of Schooling of Adults. International Statistics at NationMaster.com." NationMaster.com. NationMaster, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.
"Class System,Medieval Class System,Social Class System,What Are The Different Classes In The Class System,Social Stratification,Sociology Guide." Class System,Medieval Class System,Social Class System,What Are The Different Classes In The Class System,Social Stratification,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
"Feral Children Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.
"Wealth Inequality in America." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Statistics on Stay-At-Home Dads." National At Home Dad Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Top 100 – Lowest Acceptance Rates." U.S. News & World Report: News, Rankings and Analysis on Politics, Education, Healthcare and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.
Socialization can be approached in two different forms. Some argue that society determines all our actions and defines who we are internally, while others believe society has no affect on individuals. I believe there is a happy medium between the two cases. We are our own person and for some people the world around them doesn’t define their actions; but if you re ally think about it society dramatically changes our lives on a daily basis. For example, feral children, small kids that grow up without any human interaction, have a much different take on life and mold to the world around them. Oxanna Malaya is a girl that was abandoned at a very early age and was raised by wild dogs. This proves that we mold to the world around us. If we grow up around dogs our behavior is much like dogs. I believe the same is true in all humans; we act like the world around us. If someone were to do something that was out of the “social norm” they would be treated differently and would quickly correct their abnormal behavior; this is referred to as a negative reinforcement. Positive and negative reinforcements will determine our actions throughout the day, which could restrict us from certain activities that we enjoy doing. Yes, society does play a huge role in our day-to-day lives, but does it really define us?
It may not be blatantly evident but society is very literal and set on the fact that women should stay at home and men should go to work. Even though these days’ women have become very independent and are trying to change the beliefs of the society, this set “role” in life is still a major part of the system. Being born into a family where my Mom was the only parent that worked created a lot of confusion in my young years. After a while I got used to the fact my Dad had a physical disability that made him incapable of working and it never crossed my mind as being “abnormal.” Once I got older, I was taught that women normally stay home and take care of the family. Soon I began to think our family was unusual and I never talked about or told anyone that my Dad did not work. Later on in school we started learning about Women’s Suffrage and the years before women were treated with respect. We were socialized to believe the men went to work and the women stayed home. I remember coming home that day and being furious with my dad for not working, I started questioning his role in the family and believing he did nothing for my mom and I. Even to this day I get mad when he calls it his house, his car or his chair because he didn’t pay for it therefore its not “his.” This really shows how twisted society can be and how it can affect certain individuals. Sometimes I don’t even realize what I am saying, but subconsciously I believe my family to be backwards. Over 1.4 million Dads stay at home (National SAHD Network) which makes me question the fact as to why it is considered such a minority in the world. But throughout my years I have been negatively socialized to think the women are the ones to stay at home and the men are suppose to go out to work. This internally lead me to certain biases without even realizing it.
When I began to develop, the more aware I became of class systems and how money affects my life. Even when I was really young I knew what money was and that its purpose was to buy any item. But class systems first became apparent when I got the newest and coolest toy and a couple kids in my 1st grade class never got the toy. I asked my parents why some people didn’t get this new toy and they told me that the kids parents might not have been able to afford it. This new concept was devastating to me, I was having so much fun with this new toy and not everyone could experience this happiness because of his or her parent’s income. Once I got older I was then socialized to believe people without money were not treated the same and not given the same opportunities as the rich. Today the wealth distribution in America is shocking, the top 1% of people take home over 40% of America’s wealth (Wealth Inequality In America, media.). That is 100 times the amount of most lower class citizens! The average middle class American has to work a whole month to gain the same amount of money a wealthy person can make in less than an hour. Lower classes are treated differently by society no matter if it’s a non-removable label or even just a toy it is still part of our everyday lives
I also was socialized to believe money controls the world and someday would control my life. Throughout institutions such as school, students are told to get a good education so that they will get a better job and therefore get more money and a better life. The first 20-30 years of our lives are spent in school, constantly being pressured to get good grades, go to college and strive for a high status career. The average acceptance rate into any IVY League college is between 5-10% of people who apply (US News.) Once out of college, people look for the most high paying job. The last years before I go to college are being spent looking for ways to make more money. Society believes money will fill any void in our lives. This is not the case, even though money might buy fancy things, it doesn’t rule the world. Although we are taught to try and earn the most money possible. For example, this summer I was told to get a part time job to save for a car in the future. At the end of the summer I made X amount of money which I later on used to buy a new phone. Now I had no money and the concept of working hard for my possessions was become more and more obvious. The point is, we are socialized to believe money controls our life and without it society would fall apart. In reality it’s just another broken piece of this system.
Throughout my life many variables have lead to my overall understanding of society but gender and class are the biggest factors when it come to negative socialization. In the past I had no awareness of society's impact on my life, but without it’s constant corrections the world would slowly fall to pieces. The sky would no longer be filled with the “clouds of society” and warmth would be nonexistent. Perhaps some people go day by day without even realizing how they are socialized in the smallest of ways. Whether it is stereotypical male and female roles in society, class systems, or pressure to make more money, these all have a major role in how I view the world today.
Works Cited:
"Socialization Definition." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.
"Countries Compared by Education Average Years of Schooling of Adults. International Statistics at NationMaster.com." NationMaster.com. NationMaster, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2014.
"Class System,Medieval Class System,Social Class System,What Are The Different Classes In The Class System,Social Stratification,Sociology Guide." Class System,Medieval Class System,Social Class System,What Are The Different Classes In The Class System,Social Stratification,Sociology Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
"Feral Children Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2014.
"Wealth Inequality in America." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Statistics on Stay-At-Home Dads." National At Home Dad Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Top 100 – Lowest Acceptance Rates." U.S. News & World Report: News, Rankings and Analysis on Politics, Education, Healthcare and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.