When looking at Hanfler’s explanation of “social
construction” we this another ‘meaning’ of how social construction can be
represented. Hanfler talked about 4 assumptions about the theory symbolic
interaction. These assumptions talked about the ‘meaning’ we pull out of
everyday experiences. One solid example of meaning was a cow. A cow to
Americans is dinner, but to Hindus a cow is sacred, two meanings for one thing.
Gender can also find many meanings and interpretation behind it. In the Tedx
talk The gentleman talking was trying to help us understand the complexities of
gender. Hanfler’s third assumption was that, we learn meanings. We learn that
boys wear blue and girls dress in pink.
During the Tedx talk, there were three main topics that helped him talk
about gender. The three were, “gender identity, who you know you to be, gender
expression, how you present gender through actions and biological sex, physical
characteristics you are born with,“ (tedx talk). Gender is what is in your
head. We conformed this idea that boys are to have the hard working jobs
and girls stay home to have babies. We teach this from birth, by putting
a pink blanket on a girl and giving her dolls and him trucks. Social
construction is how we think towards others, how we interact with others
based on what we think about them. Social construction is the overall meaning
that has been placed in our heads, just like gender. No matter what we will
always see gender as pink and blue, even if we believe something different,
when you go to a boys birthday party you will be attracted towards the trucks.
My thoughts on social construction are all over the place at
the moment. We are socially constructed to think a certain way, its almost like
we are being brainwashed. This brainwashing isn’t always negative, but it
doesn’t give you the opportunity to fully decide for your self. For example,
when we were in class and we saw all those pictures, we were given the
opportunity to pick out adjectives to describe what we saw, but even that was
questioned. We couldn’t just have an
opinion with out it being questioned, for the good or the bad. Which is why I’m torn when it comes to social
construction. We are in a generation where we want to make a name for our self
and be unique! But no matter how much we are like “who cares what others think”
about X, Y or Z, we do care. So I agree and disagree at the same time about social
construction. I recognize that we have this general idea and its okay that I
form my own idea, but there will always be that “skeleton” idea. Lorber stated, “Gendered roles – change –
today fathers are taking care of little children, girls and boys are wearing
unisex clothing and getting the same education, women and men are working at
the same job,” (Lorber article). As you can see we can change, but we still
know the original roles and we go them daily.
For me I know that everyday I have mental battles about
things, sometimes they are dumb battles, but they are mostly about social
construction even if I’m not directly thinking it is social construction. When
I was interviewed for the job I am currently employed at I was asked about
stereotypes and things that I might have troubles with in my day-to-day life I
was honest and did not lie. A lot of it had to do with race. I come from a very bland background, meaning I
grew up solely with white people around me. I told them if I saw a black man on
the street and he was coming toward me I would be cautious and feel uncomfortable
and think negatively towards that man in the moment. That didn’t mean I was a
racist, but that I have been socially constructed to think that a black man
wasn’t safe. I’m happy today to say that I actively try to learn about others
and their backgrounds, because we are all different, so for me to let society
guide my judgment would just make me ignorant. Race is one thing, but there are
so many more ways society guides our judgment.
I totally agree with your confliction about social construction. The way we learn about it nowadays, and the way we see it portrayed in society and in the media, it is often seen as something bad, something that needs to be abolished or changed. But I think mentally and psychologically, we almost need some sort of social construction to make sense of things around us (that was probably a horrible way to say that). I think of it as, without social construction we wouldn't be able to see the problems with social construction. Ya feel me? You are spot on when talking about how everybody wants to be different and yet everyone seems to fall back onto these ideas that society has about them, and in turn, possibly the ideas that they have about themselves (themself? eh whatever); I can honestly say that while I try my best not to conform to common social constructs, there are definitely things that I don't think I would do or say or act like because of the construction of my identity, both socially and personally. I love love love love love your last paragraph and how you talk about your own social construction regarding race. I think the idea of "the black man on the street" has become a sort of social trope within our society. I mean, how many news articles have come out recently about black teenagers getting gunned down by police mercilessly on the street? - and of course it's always accompanied by "oh he had a gun" or "he was resisting arrest." Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. We have this formulated idea that that black man on the street is dangerous, that black man on the street has a gun, shit like that. With all the shootings of "the black man on the street" and all the horrible blaming and shaming of the victims, I sincerely hope we do not end up reaching the point to where society tries to condition us to believe that the black man on the street would be better off dead, and I'm afraid with the path we are on it may happen. Social construction can be such an ugly thing, especially when it comes to race, but I think through this reflection of society's views and our own views we are more likely to be able to recognize what we may be conditioned to understand, and therefore be able to undermine it.
ReplyDeleteI really liked that you brought up race and the fact that we can be socially constructed to think certain things about other people. It made me think about things in my own life that I may think due to social construction.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more about your thoughts of social construction. It's conflicting for me as well. Social construction is how we get that "skeleton" idea, like you mentioned. I mean, to a certain extent, I think social construction is important so we can get a general idea of people, but not a complete idea of who they are. That's where I draw the line. We need to be open minded about things. If my future son wants to wear a dress or play with Barbies someday, that's just fine with me. People need to not judge and just accept that we are all so very different and unique.
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