“Bowling for Columbine” a Michael Moore film, was very interesting and got me thinking about how much gun violence there actually is in this world. Michael Moore mentioned that the number household guns does not equate the degree of gun violence and that there is more to gun violence than we think. I think the biggest reason kids come into schools and start shooting is because of the way they where raised.

If kids where raised being told that guns are bad, to look away when people are getting shot on t.v., or if people just didn’t have guns in their house, then we could eliminate a lot of the problem with today’s youth, not just shootings. Parents need to start teaching their kids what is right and wrong even earlier then past generations where taught. The reason for this is because kids are shooting guns, the youngest one being age 6! Parents need to start when the child is a few months old, even just using NO, so the child gets used to hearing the word that will follow them the rest of their lives. If parents also took the time to pay attention and be with their kids, then these kids may not have as much anger, as those kids who are neglected. Raising your children to talk out their feelings and say something when something isn’t right would enable them when they are older to talk out their anger, rather than take it out on innocent people. For example, Derek, in American History X, was a neo-nazi, and acted out because of what his father had said to him when he was young, about different races. Parents have one of the biggest influences on what their kids do.

Another big influence on kids and their decisions, is music. Teens world’s revolve around music. Anywhere you look, a teen has earbuds in at all times. So why wouldn’t music have a huge influence on young people? People like Marilyn Manson (an example from the movie) have shocking and just downright disgusting lyrics. If teens are listening to this they are going to get the idea that what he is singing about is ok because a famous person is singing about it. One example of his lyrics include “You and me and the devil makes 3.” Here is only a sample of those disgusting lyrics:

“Murdercute happyrape
Murdercute happy, happy, happyrape
Killer
Murdercute happyrape
Murdercute happy, happy, happyrape
Killer

Watch out your face
My sperm’s cold as ice
Bouquet of knives,
Killer”

These lyrics are about “murdercute” and “happyrape?” How can we allow lyrics like this to infiltrate our society? No wonder our children find it acceptable to kill people, the people they look up to are singing about how murder and rape is good. The murderers at Columbine listened to Marilyn Manson, no wonder they had issues!!

Other forms of media are a big problem, Michael Moore suggested. Tv, violent movies, and video games, where briefly mentioned as being part of the gun violence problem. All these forms of media bombard our youth at all times of the day. How can they avoid it?? Youth take in a lot of what they see, so they are taking in these concepts of how violence is “acceptable” on shows, but not in real life.

Guns aren’t the problem, the media, parents, and music are.

A famous test done to experiment if conformity was “real” is called the “Asch Conformity test.” This test is done with 6 test subjects. 5 of those subjects are actors. A sheet is shown as followed:

The subjects are to match “Exhibit 1″ to, what they believe to be, a line the same length. When the test is done, the actors give a wrong correspondence. When it comes time for the non-actor to give their answer, most of the time, they will conform and give the same, though possibly wrong, answer. The test can be watched on this website:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIh4MkcfJA&feature=related

This is a great example of how people conform to fit in or to avoid standing out.

Conformity is sometimes necessary. For example, conformity is essential in schools. Without conformity, students would not stay within the rules set in place for their safety and for their good. There are many examples of conformity within the school walls, even. Students in elementary school, conform to and know not to abuse each other. They learn to eat, go to the bathroom, and speak out at a certain time. This is conformity. High school students also have to conform to these things, but they also conform to handing in projects on time, doing homework, and paying attention in class. The fact that the student do this, because they have been told to, and because other students are doing it is conformity. Without this conformity, students wouldn’t do all their work, there would be more fights, and there would be more disrespect for teachers than there is now.

Although conformity can be necessary, it can also be dangerous. During the second world war, Adolf Hitler came to power. As he continued on his power trip, he convinced people that anyone different than him, needed to be exterminated. After he told this to people, they started to conform to fit his (Hitler’s) set of beliefs. After people conformed, people who were different, where killed. This is an example of dangerous conformity. If people just did what they wanted to, and what they knew was right, rather than listening to a power-tripping individual, a lot of problems could have been avoided. This is a lot easier to say then to actually follow through.

This next example of conformity is more just for laughs and for analysis than for serious consideration. The test shows how people will conform on an elevator, when everybody else is facing the wrong direction. The people’s reactions where expected, and it makes one consider what they would do in the same situation. Here is the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1euWT3NZjY

http://www.bluefishtv.com/Store/Downloadable_Video_Illustrations/1283/Heroes_-_Columbine_Student_Stands_up_for_God/f=s1&scid=1005&cc=&csc=&ldr=&s=Columbine

The narrator is talking about Cassie Bernall, a student of Columbine, who as shot in the famous massacre. Cassie was in the library with a friend, studying, when the shooter came in and held Cassie at gun point. The shooter looked at her and asked her the questions, “Do you believe in God.” Cassie replied with a simple, “Yes,” before she was shot.

This story I find simply amazing, and somewhat shocking. The fact that this student was willing to die and be a martyr for God is just awesome. Not many people, I think, would admit to being Christian and believing in God, if it meant dying. It says in the bible,  ”Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). This just says, if you are persecuted because of the bible and believing in God, then you will be blessed. There is a story of a man in the bible, who went through something similar to Cassie.

This man’s name was Stephen. He was a man who went around and told people about what Jesus had done and what he could do for them. Eventually, the religious leaders got sick of Stephen and started rumors about him, and things he hadn’t done. Eventually he got stoned to death for believing in what he did.

Cassie’s story is something that really caught me off guard. People like her, give Christians good names and I am glad she made the right decision; God will reward her. And although she did die, her legacy will continue to impact people’s lives, everywhere.

After watching American History X (yes, we finished it), I decided to do a bit of research on what influences our young people to be so racist, even in the slightest bit. I started thinking, what young people do the most of, aside from school, is listen to music. Now, everybody knows how much the media has an influence on young people’s lives, but not a lot of people think about music as being a huge part of this cause. So, I started research to find songs, heard by millions of people everyday, that secretly have racist meaning or connotation, or are outright stated. I found 2 songs whose lyrics are just revolting. The first song is “N***** Hatin’ Me” preformed by Johnny Rebel. The lyrics are so racist that I am not putting them on this blog, but if you (the reader) want to see what I am talking about, feel free to visit:

http://www.sweetslyrics.com/531373.Johnny%20Rebel%20-%20Niger%20Hatin%20Me%20.html

These lyrics are about how the singer hates black people (although he doesn’t refer to them as black people…but rather N******).  The fact that this man refers to this race in a disrespectful manner on its own, is horrible. These people are just like everybody else, and need to be treated as such. The first stanza of the song is as followed:

“I like sugar, and I like tea
But I don’t like n******…no siree!
There’s two known things that’ll make me puke
And that’s a hog eatin’ slop, and a big, black spook!”

In the stanza, the preformer is telling the audience that black people make him want to puke and that he really doesn’t like or approve of them. This is the preformer’s choice to share what he belives to be right or good, but does he really need to broadcast it to all of his audience members?

The second song, by Ice Cube called, “Black Korea.” If you visit this site you can see the lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/icecube/blackkorea.html

The song isn’t putting down black people, but rather oriental people. Ice Cube is the leading actor in the movie “Are we there Yet” and its sequal “Are we Done yet.” How can we let actors/”idols” for children singing about such racist thoughts and behaviors? These lyrics are not only something our children do not need to be hearing, but teens and adults as well need to steer clear of lyrics like these.

Lyrics, like in these two examples, are one of the reasons, I believe, that our young people today are so racist. They listen to these songs and don’t really take in what they are listening to. I recently experienced this exact problem. I was driving on a bus with 10 other girls, who were singing the latest songs at the top of their lungs. But what they didn’t seem to realize, was the lyrics they where singing about. Sex, drugs, and well, more sex, were the main focus of these songs, and they kept singing them, completely oblivious to what they where singing about.

Our young people need to wake up and realize what they are listening to and how affective it is to people around them.

After our teacher explained to us that the movie might be disturbing, I took it lightly, having on idea what was coming to me. American History X is about a neo-Nazi group of boys. The starting of the film was what you’d think a normal CSI or Criminal Minds would be about. A group of three rival gangsters goes to steal Derek’s car; BIG MISTAKE. Derek came out of his house and shot down all of the gangsters, including a black boy, who Derek didn’t completely kill, but did after a disgusting act of anger. After this the movie did a downward spiral and played a big part on, what seemed to be, everybody’s emotions. The story (up to the point the teacher stopped it) was about Derek a Neo-Nazi gangster and his new life out of jail, and his brother, also a Neo-Nazi, recalling all the negative things that his brother Derek did. The movie is great in the sense that you recieve a better and clearer understanding of racism after viewing, but it toys with your emotions alot. At one part, I felt so uneasy, I almost left. And after viewing only half of this film, I walked out of the classroom shaking, feeling sick and crying. The film wasn’t traumatising, the real thing that got me was the reality of this movie. The fact that there are people out in the world who are racist to that extreme makes me sick. I am not looking forward to the rest of the film tomorrow, and am hoping that I won’t get sick or have to leave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng6hQfGzQig&feature=related

These subliminal message are everywhere, and we don’t even realize it! Another youtube video I saw played, “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin forward then played it backwards, take a listen and discover that these songs aren’t always what they seem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwBdpESvSKM

People don’t really know what they are watching, listening to, or being influenced by. Could subliminal messages be behind violence, murder, rape, and all that is bad in the world?

Death is a difficult thing to go through no matter what culture you are from or how you celebrate it. The culture I looked a little bit into was Mexican culture. The ceremony of urban Mexicans is very similar to the ceremonies that Catholics of North America go thorugh. Rural Mexican go through something a little bit different. After the person has died the body will return home with the family, and a wake will be held, which, to the Mexicans, is just a bit of time to spend with the desiesed relative. At a wake the relatives will play games and sing songs and such. They will keep the relative there until the Funeral is to be held. The funeral itself is similar to Catholic services. Up until now, the Mexican ways of celebrating death is very similar to those of our culture, but there is one minor detail that I didn’t mention.

On November 2nd, Mexican’s celebrate “The Day of the Dead” or “Dia de los Muertos.” This special holiday is the day for relatives to celebrate their decesed relatives and instead of mourning, they have a great big party. They have a parade and they will decorate the relatives grave with their favourite food, candles and decorative beads and decals.  This is a celebration that I got a chance to study in Spanish class, and found it very interesting all the things they do to celebrate their loved ones. This is much different than the way American’s celebrate death. When a love one dies, there is a period of mourning. Traditionally, a few days after, a visitation is heald, for friends to mourn and meet with the family. The next day, generally, a funeral is held. At the funeral prayers, memories, and bible verses are shared. After the funeral, the immediate family will go to the grave site and bury the deseased member. The final step is a small get together afetrwards (at least this is what I have experienced) with snacks and light conversation. This type of celebration isn’t as elaborate and celebrator as the Mexican’s Dia de los Muertos.

The way Mexicans celebrate, they are celebrating the relatives life after death and all the good times they are going to have. For Americans it more of celebrating the life of the person and who they were.

Here is a short clip about The Day of the Dead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3obZze-V0YI

1. Talk about potential reasons why the patient fears the mirror’s reflection and discuss potential steps for recovery.

2. Get the patient to draw what they think they will see in the mirror and get them to talk about how they are feeling.

3. Draw what you, the psychologist, believe the person will see in the mirror and show them. Get them to talk about their feelings.

4. Get the patient to look into part of the mirror for only a minute or so. Get them to express their feelings.

5. Get them to look into the mirror for as long as they can, get them to talk about how they are feeling while doing so, and even after they put the mirror down, encourage them to do it even longer.

The next phobia I chose was the fear of loud sounds, Phonophobia. Although I really hate loud sounds myself, I don’t fear them. This fear is a Specific Phobia. The steps I would give for recovery would be:

1. Start with a small sound like a squeaky duck and talk the patient through the sound.

2. The next step would be to release another, slightly louder sound, like whistling, and talk the patient through it.

3. The next step would be to let another slightly louder sound go, like a bell. As the patient to report their feelings.

4.  The next step would be to do a few sounds that are louder than step 4, like vacuums, whistles, and drums.

5. The last step would be to have the patient make the loudest sound they can with an object like a symbol. And have them work out their feelings.

For my last phobia I found a video clip. The woman in the video has a deathly phobia of clowns (coulrophobia). Watch closely as the doctor slowly introduces bigger examples of clowns (ie. dolls, picture). After she overcomes her fear of looking at them in the book, the doctor introduces her to an actual clown. She finds it really difficult at first, but the doctor is right there talking her though this ordeal. Also keep an eye on the fact that the clown doesn’t interact with her, but just remains in the same room as her, this is a technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2nK_qmvJ7A&feature=related 

I was searching around on you tube and found some clips of phobias from the Maury Povich show, but I feel Maury’s ways of trying to “heal” the patients are ineffective and cruel. Maury doesn’t try to work through why they have the phobias and just springs the object onto the person. I also feel that these phobias are slightly staged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygctbqBijFk

The music video that I analysed was, “Hips don’t Lie,” preformed by Shakira.  The title of the song pretty much states what the song and music video focuses on, and that’s her body, and mainly her hips. Within the first 20 seconds of the video, Shakira has already presented herself as an object rather than a human, and as a “sex object” for the men. She dances against the wall and preformed for them as they all watch and appear to get really into the movements she makes. When the viewer only sees her back, with the glitter, she represents part of a human, rather than Shakira herself. This is one of the first things I noticed about the video. “Hey girl, I can see your body moving, and it’s driving me crazy…” is one of the lines sung from co-singer, Wyclef Jean. By saying this he is implying that she is doing these dance moves in a clearly provocative manner, just to edge him on and lead to something else?  Another part that caught my attention, was when Shakira was running through the pink curtains and Wyclef Jean was following her. She appeared to be running away, and yet he is chasing her, doesn’t this seem a little bit odd? In the chorus of her song she sings, “Be wise and keep on reading the signs of my body…” in these lines alone, she is urging them to watch what she is doing and act according to how it makes them feel.  The last point I want to pull from the clip is the part where she is sitting in the chair and moving in a provocative manner. And one more thing, although she pulled her culture into the video, it doesn’t make it any less inappropriate.

When I first heard this song, I thought it was really catchy. The beat and the melody was really great. I first heard it when i was 13. Being the young one that I was, I didnt realise how dangerous and sexual that song actually was. After watching the music video I came to a realization that there are tweenage girls who are watching worse and more sexual music videos than this. Before I watched this video for the analysis I watched three music videos (3, Brittany Spears; Bad Romance, Lady Gaga; Russian Roulette, Rihanna) which I had not seen before. I was, again, disgusted that tweens and teens are watching this and taking it in. It’s simply not appropriate.

I believe that these music videos, if they are gonna be played at all, SHOULD be aimed at 18-24 year olds, but everyone knows that 8-18 year olds watch it. I personally believe that these kinds of music videos are what are giving our young people bad/negative ideas.