Culture Shock on the Internet - Essay Example

Masoud al Haider Website Evaluation: Culture Shock I researched on this topic because it greatly interests me. It is a topic which has major implications in my life as a Muslim in America. I considered researching on this topic in order to explore this interest further – and to understand on a deeper context how this topic can help me understand my life as a Muslim in America. I researched on this topic because I wanted to know if other people shared the same experiences as I have encountered in my life – and if these experiences have as much impact on other people’s lives. It was easy enough to navigate through the website. The different topics discussed in the website are arranged alphabetically, making it easy for me to find and read (or listen) to a specific topic of interest. It was also easy enough to look up the latest releases or contributions to the website because such contributions were arranged from the most recent topics in the website. Other available medium in the website were also clearly visible and accessible in the website – hence, DVD recordings and audio recordings were posted in the site for easy access. Updates on the different discussions or topics in the website were also available in the website. I was able to gather information about upcoming appearances of authors discussing particular topics through the website. The topic available in the website was rich and diverse. It included discussions on civil rights, advertising, the first amendment, gender, same-sex marriages, policies and the economy, religion, sociology, citizenry, and other topics covering similar issues. Such topics and discussions were of great interest to me because they were crucial to the patterns of diversity seen in America. The topics appeared to be up-to-date. The latest discussions were very much recent and the older articles and discussions were archived in the website for easy access. The dates were indicated in these articles; moreover, the topics were discussed in relation to recent related events in America and in the world in general. The intended audience of the website appears to be the general public – especially the public which is interested in having an open mind and understanding of social and political issues. The articles were written and the discussions were recorded in such a way that only the more open, unbiased, and unprejudiced listener or reader in the general population would be able to appreciate the articles. It targeted scholars, students, teachers, politicians, and interest groups who were willing to discuss about social and political issues fairly and as members of formal and civilized society. The material or information which it confirmed from our class or textbook discussions in relation to the topic is that we all have to assess our perceptions, opinions, definitions, process of organizing, and our sensory perceptions in order to help us recognize the meaning of objects and events. Our psychology text expresses how different people have different perceptions and interpretations of single events. Based on the information discussed in the website, these perceptions and interpretations affect our overall personal dealings with each other. Just as our perceptions affect our personal interpretations – and so do our opinions. It is therefore difficult to change the way people think when such thinking is already ingrained deeply into their lives and thought perceptions. Links to other sites were mostly focused on their main site which was Americans United. I tried out one of the links to one of the upcoming dates and discussions on civil rights and it led me to the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State San Antonio Chapter. The link displayed a general statement on the need to protect religious freedom and how such freedom should be respected by the state. In general, the website displayed sensitivity and tolerance to its viewers. It acknowledged the fact that different people have different preferences in religion, sexual orientation, politics, and even simple matters, such as product preference. The discussions by the authors and the articles published in the site were sensitive to diversity and to the personal preferences of viewers. The discussions of the various authors were fair and unbiased. They gave the opposing discussions enough room and enough opportunity to be laid out and discussed. Consequently, the conclusions drawn by the viewers of the site are based on logical and well-argued points of discussion. I would visit this site again because it is very informative and rich in various media of expression. It is simple enough in presentation and easy to navigate. I would also visit this site again because I was able to gain a fair perspective on various issues which minority groups (like Muslims) are experiencing in America and even around the world. I would visit this site again because I want to learn the correct and unprejudiced views about my religion. I will definitely use this website again because I want to grow as a person and to remove the wrong notions I have of other people. I will use this site again because it is rich and diverse in its discussions and in its geographical coverage. I remember that for a long time now, I believed what a teacher taught us during our high school years. He taught us that Americans and the United States in general hate Muslims. He taught us that they were our enemies and that we should treat them as enemies. He also taught us that these Americans would also treat me as an enemy; that they would not accept me in their society at all; and that we would never get along with these Americans. However, my experience in America taught me otherwise. I believe that students may often have entertained certain preconceived notions and ideas about schools in foreign countries. But, when the actual experiences of such students are actually considered, perceptions tend to change and, more importantly, negative notions often disappear. Opinions may undergo changes simply because their exposure removes their fears and stereotypes. It also allows them to form their personal perceptions about other people and about their experience. I would cite my personal experience in this regard. Before I came to the United States, I believed that all Americans had a disdain and hatred for Muslims. However, since my arrival, I have been forced to believe otherwise. Upon my arrival in the states, I lived with an American non-Muslim host family. This family helped me a lot in improving my English speaking skills. They did not question me about my religion, and they also respected my language. Since my religion prohibits the ingestion of pork, they took special pains to arrange other types of food for me. If the family wanted to eat pork, they cooked an alternative dish of chicken for me. They respected my privacy during times of prayer. They did not disturb me during my time of prayer, nor did they ask me questions about my peculiar ‘rituals.’ They clearly understood that these practices were part of my religion. I noticed that they did not treat me any different just because of these rituals and practices. Based on my experiences with them, my mindset and preconceived notions about Americans underwent some major changes. My experience brought me face to face with the idea that not everything published in the media is true; and that apparent acts of hatred towards the Muslims or Americans should not be taken at face value. This site is a rich and diverse site covering various topics which are very much relevant to my position as a Muslim in America. I have learned important and unbiased information about crucial issues in America today. Information posted in the site has given me a crucial access to data and opinions which are analytical and comprehensive in the overall resolution of global issues and conflicts. Read More